South Africa - Pretoria - 28 April 2022. The five accused on the murder of former soccer player Senzo Meyiwa at the Pretoria high court. From left, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemb Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa and Sifokuhle Sifiso Nkani Ntuli. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency(ANA)
ALL the investigating teams looking into the Senzo Meyiwa murder were interested in was acquiring information about the family of Kelly Khumalo, and not the suspects currently on trial for the murder.
According to State witness constable Sizwe Skhumbuzo Zungu, he met with Colonel Joyce Buthelezi and as well as warrant officer Meshack Makhubo, who were part of the team investigating the murder of Meyiwa in 2019.
Zungu said that during this meeting he told the officers about the information he had, however they hardly paid any attention to that and were more interested in information about the Khumalo family.
“The colonel did not ask me a lot about the suspects, her emphasis was on the Khumalo family and how I related to them. I told them that they were unknown to me.”
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, the legal counsel for Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, the fifth accused, questioned how the investigating team would have not wanted to know about him being in the presence of people who were exchanging firearms, to which he could not answer.
Mshololo also criticised why the officer had not written down a statement to help him remember crucial evidence.
While taking the officer through some of the photo evidence submitted in court, she alleged that according to Ntuli’s version, he denied being at the Sotho hostel in Vosloorus and said he was instead at the George Goch Hostel.
Zungu said he had no comment about that, but was taken to task by Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng for this failure to answer adequately.
“You can’t comment like that because this court must know whether you agree with that assertion or not. So answer the question.”
The officer stressed that he knew what he saw and that Ntuli was there with the rest of the men on October 26, 2014.
Ntuli distanced himself from knowing any relative by the name of Nkazimulo Ntuli, who allegedly threatened Zungu, and that on the day Meyiwa was killed he had been at work in Johannesburg until 1pm, thereafter he proceeded to go to his flat in the CBD.
When he did leave his residence, he claimed that he had gone to a hostel called George Goch and not the Sotho Hostel in Vosloorus.
Court proceedings, however, could not proceed with the testimony of a cellphone expert, as the report according to State advocate George Baloyi was received on Friday and could only be given to the defence on Monday.
Baloyi said that in addition, certain annexures referred to in the report had only been availed to the defence yesterday during a short adjournment.
The cellphone witness was due to testify on the downloads of information taken from phones confiscated from Bongani Ntanzi and Ntuli.
As a result, the defence of the five men requested time to go through the information and formulate their opinions only after consulting with their clients.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are facing charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition for the October 2014 murder of Meyiwa while at the Vosloorus home of his then-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo.
All men have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Judge Mokgoatlheng as a result adjourned the matter to Monday (October 9).
Related Topics: