Pretoria – The cross-examination of Sergeant Thabo Johannes Mosia started off on Tuesday morning with Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela repeatedly reminding Advocate Malesela Daniel Teffo, who represents four of the five accused men, to ask questions which are relevant.
Moments after Teffo started questioning Mosia before midday on Tuesday, the lead prosecutor in the murder trial, Advocate George Baloyi, intervened and requested the court to raise questions which are pertinent to the trial and “not to testify”.
Teffo had told Mosia: “I am asking about the period you were on stand-by for the three police stations. The person standing before you, the cross-examiner, me, Advocate Daniel Malesela Teffo and my boss here, my instructing attorney Tshepo Timothy Thobane, we are both having 19 years of policing until we resigned and we are where we are today. So, your job that you are doing, I know it.”
Baloyi interjected, asking the court to rein in Teffo.
“I really do not understand the purpose of his experience and what he is putting to the witness. I do not want to interfere, but he must be relevant,” Baloyi submitted.
Maumela addressed Teffo: “I am trying my best not to intervene or interrupt but one thing you should be aware of is relevance of the questions. Both your questions and the possible answers must be relevant to the case and the evidence. All of us might have a past, I might have been a taxi driver but it is not relevant here. Please be relevant with your questions”.
Teffo said he felt that the court wants to confine him. “I have to do my utmost best to represent my client. Relevance is subjective.”
The judge interjected and said he was now going to rule on the matter: “That you were police officers is irrelevant. Stop asking questions about that. I don’t want an explanation from you. I want you to ask this witness questions that will move us forward”.
Teffo retorted: “Now I feel that this court wants to confine me. I cannot be confined as to how I ask this witness.
I am forbidding you from asking you questions about your past. Move away from that. I do not want another comment on that. Ask all the questions in the world about the evidence he gave
Teffo then said “okay” and moved on with his cross-examination.
Meyiwa was killed while visiting his girlfriend and the mother of his child, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus.
In the house that fateful 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.
Five men, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifokuhle Ntuli, are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as possession of ammunition for the 2014 murder of Meyiwa. All of the accused men have pleaded not guilty.
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