Details linking the five accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial to the crime are expected to emerge when the court resumes on Friday morning.
Meyiwa’s childhood friend, Tumelo Madlala, concluded giving his testimony on Thursday, and as court continues this morning, a new witness is expected to take the stand.
Mr Elphus Mushwana, a digital and electronic forensics specialist, is the new witness and he will testify on how the accused are linked to the former murder that took place on the 26th of October 2014.
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According to the state’s case, corroborated by at least three witnesses so far, two men carrying a gun allegedly entered the slain goalkeeper’s girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus on that evening and demanded cellphones and money.
A scuffle subsequently ensued before a shot went off killing the former Bafana Bafana captain.
Senzo Meyiwa murder trial I Latest update with SABC News reporter Sipho Kekana
Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa’s childhood friend, has told the High Court in Pretoria that Chicco Twala offered Meyiwa’s then-girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo a holiday opportunity in the initial stages of the investigation into the murder of the soccer star.
Madlala, who earlier concluded giving evidence in the murder trial, says on Monday or Tuesday following the shooting that took place at Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus, the offer was made.
The witness could not say whether the offer was made before or after they had made statements.
Through a statement by a nurse at Botshelong Hospital where the former Bafana Bafana captain was declared dead, the court has also heard that the deceased showed no signs of life on arrival.
Five men are standing trial for the murder.
On Thursday, defense counsel Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo grilled Madlala on a number of inconsistencies between the statements he gave to the police and in his evidence-in-chief.
Meyiwa’s childhood friend distanced himself from portions of those statements.
“You also say that you heard three shots, but in your evidence-in-chief, you testified that you heard only one shot,” enquired Nxumalo.
“This one of three shots I don’t know. Since I started making statements I have always said I heard one shot. I have never said I heard three shots. I don’t know where that is coming from.”
Madlala has also told the court that when a shot went off during the scuffle in the kitchen, he and Meyiwa were busy with the taller intruder, while the gunman was behind them with Zandile, Kelly, and Gladness Khumalo.
Madlala says when he emerged from the bedroom into which he had run after a shot had gone off, he found Meyiwa lying in the sitting room with a bullet wound to his chest with blood splatters on the floor.
However, Kelly Khumalo’s statement read out court, which Madlala says is nonsense, paints a different picture.
Quoting from a statement by Kelly Khumalo, Nxumalo read, in part, “I then tried to help my mother push the tall one. I didn’t see what was happening behind me. I just heard a gunshot. I jumped backward and my sister said something his her. I then saw Senzo run towards me, trying to hold me. I grabbed him and I could see that he was weak. He fell into my hands. I saw a spot of blood on his back and then I turned him over and I saw a lot of blood on his chest.”
Madlala says this is nonsense and Kelly must come and explain where she saw a lot of blood.
“She must come and explain that. Because even the blood she’s talking about … I only saw blood spot. That statement is like Soweto’s book. I would like the statement to be put aside and let that person come here and explain that nonsense.”
Advocate Nxumalo has argued that he will use these inconsistencies to argue that the witnesses who were in the house on that even are giving different factual accounts of what happened.
Post-tea adjournment proceedings were nothing short of drama as Advocate Zandile Mshololo rose up to start her cross-examination of the witness.
Tampers flared and words were exchanged.
Mshololo: Mr Madlala, please behave yourself…
Madlala: You too advocate. Relax. I can answer for myself.
Mshololo: Next question and think before you answer.
Madlala: Don’t tell me to think before I answer. She’s disrespecting me.
Judge: Miss Mshololo, why do you want to argue with the witness? The witness has been here since when? Giving evidence and he’s been thinking.
Meyiwa murder trial I Tumelo Madlala says he can’t comment on contradictions between his statement:
