Johannesburg - A man falsely arrested for the murder of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa is demanding R17.7million as compensation.
The date for the multimillion-rand court case has been set for May. In papers lodged at the high court in Joburg against the police minister and the national director of public prosecutions by Zamokuhle Mbatha, his lawyers said they wanted annual interest of 15.5% on their initial R10m demand.
Mbatha was arrested in October 2014 over the shooting death of the star goalkeeper - three days after his death.
The initial lawsuit, including the attendant monetary demand, was filed in April 2015.
Adding the 15.5% interest to the original R10m demand which Mbatha sought nearly five years ago brings his total claim to about R17.7m.
This comes as a document in the lawsuit's file, which was signed in October 2017, stated that the hearing was expected to be heard in May.
Mbatha was suing the State on three counts: a wrongful and unlawful arrest and 13-day detention; malicious prosecution; and defamation.
Mbatha’s legal representative, Mxolisi Ndwandwe, said yesterday he could not confirm the exact amount accrued through interest as he didn't have the case file in front of him when The Star called.
“But if we send the letter of demand or the summons, then the interest begins from the time the letter is served (April 2015),” Ndwandwe said.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said the civil suit office had not come back to him about the possibility of the payout to Mbatha.
Mfaku, however, added that if documents in the lawsuit file showed the matter was set down for May, it meant all parties were in agreement about the date.
Reneilwe Serero, spokesperson for Police Minister Bheki Cele, acknowledged questions sent to her via SMS and said she would respond.
Her phone, however, wasn't answered last night and she had not responded at the time of publication.
Meyiwa was shot at his girlfriend and musician Kelly Khumalo's family home in Vosloorus. He was with Khumalo, her sister Zandile, their mother, Khumalo’s two children, Longwe Twala and friend Tumelo Madlala.
Last month, Cele vowed that the police would crack the Meyiwa case soon.
Mbatha was arrested in what the then lead investigator, Lieutenant-General Vinesh Moonoo, believed was a strong case.
“We are sure the person we have charged is one of the suspects that were involved in the incident. We are confident he is linked to the crime and he will be charged with murder and robbery,” Moonoo said after Mbatha’s arrest.
No one has since been arrested over Meyiwa’s murder.