The trial of the individuals accused of the murder of Senzo Meyiwa has gone into a heated debate over the treatment of Bongani Ntanzi, one of the suspects.

In the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday, Ntanzi's defence made allegations of misconduct against the arresting officers, specifically Sergeant Vusimuzi Mogane of the national cold case unit.

Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu, representing Ntanzi, brought forth claims that his client was not only assaulted during his arrest but was also deprived of his constitutional rights, with the arresting officers failing to properly inform him of the reasons for his detention.

The incident in question allegedly occurred during Ntanzi's arrest in Phokeng, Rustenburg.

According to the defence, there was a physical altercation wherein Sergeant Steven Mabena was accused of slapping Ntanzi after he requested the officers to show their identification.

Sergeant Mogane, however, has denied this, defending the late Sergeant Mabena's character and denying any witness to the alleged assault.

Mogane insisted that he had indeed informed Ntanzi of his rights in multiple languages and denied any form of mistreatment or coercion regarding Ntanzi's confession.

The defence, nonetheless, continued that the confessions were obtained under pressure and that Ntanzi was subjected to beatings and torture which, so far, the state's witnesses have denied.

The court also heard about Ntanzi's long hours in police custody, with the defence suggesting this as further evidence of mistreatment.

Again, Mogane provided an explanation that positioned the duration as a matter of procedural steps and Ntanzi's personal choice, disregarding allegations of assault during this period.

If the court finds that Ntanzi's rights were violated, this could potentially lead to a dismissal of the evidence obtained during these alleged incidents or even a reevaluation of the case against him.

The trial continues.