Second docket in Senzo Meyiwa’s murder takes center stage at trial

The five accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial are mere scapegoats and the suspects should be the seven people who were at Kelly Khumalo’s mother’s home in Vosloorus on the night the soccer star was murdered in October 2014. That is according to counsel for accused number 1 to 4, Advocate Malesela Teffo, zooming in on the contents of the second police dockets, which lists the seven people at the home as suspects. 

Adv Teffo is taking Mosia on the second docket which names, as the suspects, the seven people who were present in the house when #SenzoMeyiwa was shot and killed. #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/WyGc0NCDgi

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 31, 2022

According to the docket, Longwe Twala, Kelly Khumalo, Gladness Khumalo, Zandi Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Maggie Phiri are listed as suspects. 

Longwe Twala, listed in it as accused number 1, is suspected to have pulled the trigger while Khumalo it reveals should be charged with defeating the ends of justice for “hatching a plan to say they were robbed by unknown gunmen,” while Phiri is accused as having “cleaned the crime scene before the police could arrived.” 

Longwe Twala, Kelly Khumalo, Gladness Khumalo, Zandi Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Maggie Phiri are listed as suspects in the second docket of the #SenzoMeyiwatrial murder.

Adv Teffo tells the court the five accused in court are “scapegoats.” #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/AkPYDZbeUk

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 31, 2022

It is understood the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) has not moved to charge anyone based on the second docket, and only moved to prosecution on the basis of the first docket with the version that gunmen had entered the house, demanded cell phones, and shot Meyiwa following a scuffle. 

Forensic Expert Thabo Mosia, who arrived on the scene four hours after the shooting, would not be drawn to commenting on the contents of the second docket, put to him by Adv Teffo, insisting he could only comment on his relationship with the crime from the time he arrived, the collection and transportation of the forensic evidence.  

Earlier, Adv Teffo argued that the crime scene had been tampered with, insisting that Meyiwa was already dead by the time he was removed from the scene and transported to the hospital. Teffo argued that the removal “of the body” amounted to contamination of the crime scene. 

Mosia would not comment on whether Meyiwa was still alive when he was transported to hospital except to say when he arrived at the hospital, the secondary crime scene while looking for the address to the primary crime scene on Kutlwanong Street in Vosloorus, Meyiwa had already been declared dead. 

He says he never went into the hospital as his focus was getting to the primary crime scene.   

“I put it to you that, that crime scene was not complete without the body of the victim,” says Teffo.

“I do not agree, my lord,” saying it was because of efforts to save Senzo’s life. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwaTrail pic.twitter.com/96EaAEOgvW

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 31, 2022

He insisted that he had no reason to believe that the crime scene had been contaminated, despite mention in his 2019 affidavit that there was possibility the scene could have been “compromised.” Taken on this, he told the court he didn’t understand the word compromise could have meant contaminated, saying if it happened, it was not intentional. 

Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonnke Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Ntuli are charged with Meyiwa’s murder, attempted murder of other witnesses, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition. 

They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges. 

The matter has been adjourned and is expected to continue on Wednesday in Pretoria when Adv Teffo is expected to conclude cross-examination of Mosia.