The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has heard evidence that former Bafana Bafana captain and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was already dead when he arrived at Botshelong Hospital after he was shot in the chest.
This was revealed on Thursday by advocate Zandile Mshololo who represents one of the five men accused of brutally killing Meyiwa. Mshololo read a statement from a nurse who said the soccer star had no pulse when he arrived in hospital.
Mshololo was cross-examining Tumelo Madlala, Meyiwa’s long-time friend who was among those who rushed Meyiwa to hospital after he was shot.
“There's a statement by a nurse who says the deceased was not breathing and had no pulse on arrival at the hospital. Did you notice that?” Mshololo asked.
“I didn’t have time to check those signs, all I was concerned about was whether they’d be able to assist him,’’ Madlala replied.
Mshololo made further attempts to question Madlala on the nurse’s statement, however, State prosecutor advocate George Baloyi objected to the questions, saying those questions should be reserved for an expert.
Last week, Mthokozisi Thwala, who already testified, told the court that he remained in the car with Meyiwa when they arrived at hospital and that he was not responsive.
"I squeezed his hand just to check whether he will squeeze me back, but unfortunately he didn’t hold me back; it was like he was already dead or was about to die,’’ he said at the time.
Meyiwa was gunned down on October 26, 2014 while visiting singer girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in an alleged botched robbery in Vosloorus.
The people who were in the house on the day Meyiwa was murdered, were Kelly Khumalo and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo (MaKhumalo), Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends, Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly’s then four-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for the murder.
The trial continues on Friday with a new witness.
IOL