The police officer who was the first to arrive at the crime scene where former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot and killed, Warrant Officer Thabo Mosia, was questioned about the exact time he arrived at the scene.
Meyiwa was shot and killed in 2014 while at the home of Kelly Khumalo’s mother in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg.
Five men are on trial for the murder of the soccer star.
Mosia was recalled to testify in the North Gauteng High Court trial because of contradictions between his oral testimony, and the documented time in his pocket book.
Mosia was on standby when he was called about an alleged robbery and shooting at the Khumalo address.
He told the court he arrived at the crime scene at 01:20am in the morning and left at 02:40am.
He testified that he then returned to the scene around 06:00am the same morning.
Lawyer for accused number four, Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo questioned Mosia about the conflicting statements.
“I believe there is an error in the entry on the pocketbook because the crime scene management said they arrived on the scene at about 9am and I was already there. That’s why I think there was a mistake with the entry in the pocketbook,” adds Mosia.
When grilled by defence counsel for accused number five, advocate Zandile Mshololo, Mosia blamed exhaustion for some discrepancies picked up in his pocket book.
Mosia: “The standby position is exhausting.”
Advocate Mshololo: “I accept that, so you were exhausted Mr Mosia?”
Mosia: “I think the mixed entries is the fact that I had outworked myself. That was from Friday, day and night, Saturday day and night. Every time you get a case, it’s exhausting.”
The video below is reporting on Tuesday’s proceedings:
Meanwhile, the state called Jack Buthelezi – a friend of accused Bongani Ntanzi to the stand.
Buthelezi – who lived with Ntanzi in Rustenburg in the North West, says they would often go to Gauteng to partake in traditional Zulu dance competitions named “Ingoma” and Ntanzi would perform with a group from Vosloorus.
In a startling disclosure, Buthelezi says he was called by Ntanzi after he was arrested.
He says while he was still handcuffed in a police vehicle in 2020, Ntanzi informed him that he was arrested because they injured and killed the soccer star while at a party.
“He cried and said he was at a party with Maphisa and at the party they injured Meyiwa and killed him.”
However, during cross-examination by Ntanzi’s lawyer Sipho Ramosepele, Buthelezi did a complete about-turn
“This matter now the Vosloorus matter, where you say he said they were with friends at the party, they injured Senzo and he subsequently died. His instructions to me were as following, not that he as Ntanzi killed Senzo, but the police arrested me because I was with Maphisa, we were at a party and injured and killed Senzo.”
Buthelezi: “He didn’t say it like that, he said the police said yes.”
State prosecutor George Baloyi also sought clarity on the about turn.
Advocate Baloyi: “Would you please clarify this aspect for us, in cross examination you mentioned that accused number 2 said the police said he killed Senzo. But in your evidence in chief, you said they killed Meyiwa. What did you say exactly?”
Buthelezi: “He said as I am being arrested now, the police said or the police allege that myself and my friends killed Meyiwa.”
The state is expected to call a new witness when the trial resumes.
Witness drops a bombshell and then makes a u-turn:
