Defence for accused 1 to 4 in the Senzo Meyiwa case is seeking the intervention of the state in what they say is continued harassment of their client, the third accused Mthobisi Prince Mncube.
Advocate Malesela Teffo’s attorney Tshepo Thobane says Mncube has been enduring physical harassment from the police and has been isolated from the rest of the accused without explanation.
He says numerous attempts to get answers from the state on why Mncube is isolated have so far drawn a blank.
It is not the first time Mncube has complained of torture. In April, his legal team tried to move Mncube from the Kgosi Mampuru Prison following allegations of torture but the attempt fell through and he remained at the prison.
The 36-year-old is one of the five accused, alongside Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Ntuli, who are being tried at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
They have been charged with murder, attempted murder of other witnesses, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of ammunition.
This follows the murder of former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa on October 26, 2014, when two intruders allegedly stormed into Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus and demanded money and cellphones before a scuffle erupted, leading to Meyiwa’s shooting.
At the time Longwe Twala (Zandile’s boyfriend), Gladness Khumalo (Kelly’s mother and owner of the house), Zandile Khumalo (Kelly’s sister and Longwe’s then-girlfriend) as well as Meyiwa’s two friends, Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Thwala were in the house.
According to the state, Mncube was arrested at his rented room in Malvern, Johannesburg, where the gun that killed the former Bafana Bafana star was found in his possession.
“The cellphone of the accused was confiscated on his arrest, and then the data on his cellphone was downloaded and various photos were found, inter alia a photo depicting the gun (linked to the murder) with the caption ‘My killing machine’,” says State advocate, George Baloyi.
The trial continues this morning with Defence advocate Zandile Mshololo for the fifth accused continuing her cross-examining of a state witness Thabo Mosia on the processing of evidence.
Mshololo: “When were the exhibits booked into the safe and when were they all recovered? “
Mosia: “They were collected on the 27 of October. I kept it in the safe in my office and registered it the following day.”#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwa #SenzoMeyiwatrial pic.twitter.com/G7QBOKYQt4
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) June 7, 2022
