Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who represents one of the five men accused of brutally killing Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, was unable to question State witness, Zandile Khumalo on a statement made by another witness claiming that the soccer star was killed while trying to separate a fight.
The fight was allegedly between Zandile and her then boyfriend, Longwe Twala.
Zandile was under cross-examination on the Tuesday in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Mshololo asked Zandile whether she knows Mlungisi Edward Hlophe.
“I don't know him,” she replied.
Mshololo said she was in possession of a statement from Hlophe, saying that Tumelo Madlala, Meyiwa’s best friend, told him that Meyiwa was shot while trying to intervene in a fight between Zandile and Twala.
However, State prosecutor, advocate George Baloyi objected to the question and said it was hearsay evidence.
Mshololo then requested for a brief adjournment in order to bring an application to provisionally lead evidence.
Baloyi objected to Mshololo’s request, saying Hlophe will be called as a witness.
‘'The interest of justice won't be infringed as the witness will come and testify,’’ said judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng rejecting Mshololo’s request.
In a similar incident last week, advocate Charles Mnisi, who represents one of the accused, also told Zandile that he was in possession of a statement from a witness who can’t be named for security purposes, who said Meyiwa was killed while trying to separate a fight between her and Twala.
According Mnisi, the witness received a call from Zandile’s sister, singer and socialite, Kelly Khumalo.
However, the call ended abruptly.
“Subsequently, they phoned Tumelo Madlala and Tumelo told him that Senzo had been hit by a bullet and this happened as Senzo was trying to separate a fight between you and Longwe. Any comment on that?” asked Mnisi.
Zandile denied the statement and said she had a good relationship with Twala at the time, hence she had invited him to join them.
Baloyi had objected to the question, saying there was no statement by any witness suggesting that Meyiwa was hit by a bullet while trying to separate a fight between Zandile and Twala.
Mnisi argued that he was paraphrasing.
“In any case, the witness will come and testify to that, but for now, I will withdraw the statement,” he said.
Meyiwa was brutally murdered while visiting his girlfriend and mother of his child, Kelly at her home in Vosloorus.
In the house that day were Meyiwa, Kelly and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly’s children, Christian and Thingo.
The trial continues.
IOL