Pretoria – The trial of five men accused of the 2014 murder of Bafana Bafana ace goalkeeper Senzo Robert Meyiwa has resumed in the High Court in Pretoria, where veteran police forensic expert Sergeant Thabo Mosia is facing another day of tough questions from advocate Zandile Mshololo.
Mosia was the first SAPS crime scene expert to arrive at the Khumalo homestead in Vosloorus, albeit four hours after Meyiwa had been shot while visiting his girlfriend and mother of his child, singer Kelly Khumalo.
Mshololo represents Sifisokuhle Ntuli, the fifth accused in the high-stakes murder trial. She started cross-examining Mosia on Wednesday afternoon after advocate Malesela Teffo, who represents four of the accused men, concluded his explosive cross-examination.
On Wednesday, the court heard that the slain footballer was shot “mistakenly” by his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo.
Teffo, while cross-examining Mosia, submitted to the court that an unidentified witness would testify that the singer shot Meyiwa.
“I put it to you, Mr Mosia, that a witness, not just a witness but an eyewitness, will testify that Senzo Robert Meyiwa was allegedly shot by Nonhlanhla Kelly Khumalo by mistake, as is alleged. Do you have a response?” Teffo asked Mosia.
The police sergeant said he had no response.
Teffo went on: “The same eyewitness will further testify that the firearm used to shoot Senzo Robert Meyiwa by Kelly Khumalo came with Longwe Twala, and the firearm is a revolver. Any response?”
Mosia said he had “no comment”.
The counsel submitted: “You remember that previously there was testimony that on the same day, there was a meeting in that house between the senior management of the police in Gauteng, including the MEC of Safety and Liaison then, (Sizakele) Nkosi-Malobane, with the family. Do you remember that?”
Mosia responded: “I remember you asking me that, and my answer is that I cannot comment on that as well.”
Teffo said the same witness would testify that the high-level meeting in the house “was all about how to hatch a plan of avoiding to say how Senzo was killed in that house”.
Teffo submitted that Meyiwa’s body was rushed to hospital “for concealment”.
Meyiwa was fatally shot in the Vosloorus house, which was owned by Khumalo’s mother.
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.
The five men, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Ntuli, are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm as well as possession of ammunition.
All of the accused men have pleaded not guilty.
IOL