Pretoria – The trial of five men accused of the October 2014 murder of Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa resumed in the high court in Pretoria this morning, following a lengthy break.
In June, presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela postponed the trial to September, even though there were a few administrative sittings related to the high-profile case.
The postponement since June was requested by advocate Zandile Mshololo who represents the fifth murder-accused man Sifisokuhle Ntuli.
This morning, the four other accused Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa were represented by TT Thobane, who had acted as the instructing attorney for advocate Malesela Teffo.
In July, Teffo, who was representing the four murder-accused, withdrew as defence counsel, in protest.
Teffo cited harassment by the State, Judge Maumela and the police, who arrested him inside the courtroom in April on charges of contempt of court for an unrelated matter, as the reason for his withdrawal.
“I am no longer able to proceed in this court based on the harassment that I am receiving from the State and from the court,” he said.
He told Judge Maumela that he could not be in court to face him because there were “serious allegations whereby you are accused number one”.
However, Teffo recently announced that he would be returning to represent the accused men. That has not materialised, as Thobane has taken over the representation.
Meyiwa was killed in 2014, while visiting his girlfriend and the mother of his child, singer Kelly Khumalo, 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 then 4-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
IOL