Zandi cannot identify the gunman among the five accused in Meyiwa trial

State witness Zandile Khumalo, who was in the house the night former Orlando Pirates keeper Senzo Meyiwa was shot and killed, has told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that she could not, among the five accused in court, see the alleged first intruder who entered the house with a gun.

Khumalo, who pointed out accused 2, Bongani Ntanzi, as the alleged taller intruder who came behind the alleged first intruder who had a gun.

However, in reference to the alleged first intruder, Khumalo kept referring to him as the “first suspect” which prompted Judge Tshifiwa Maumela to ask, which among the accused is the first suspect she was referring to.

Zandi is asked which accused is suspect number 1 who wore a hat and had dreadlocks.

Zandi: The first suspect, I can’t see him here in court.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial #SenzoMeyiwa

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 19, 2023

“The first suspect, I can’t see him here in court,” responded Khumalo.

Zandi: You could see his cheek and jaw bones, and his eyes were big. He was not too big but also not too small in terms of his physique.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 19, 2023

Khumalo is the third witness who was in the house the night Meyiwa was murdered, to appear before the North Gauteng High Court after two of Meyiwa’s friends, Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Thwala, testified.

To this day, none of them has pointed out any of the accused as the gunman wearing a hat, spotting dreadlocks, who entered the house and demanded cellphones and money.

Madlala was the only witness who came close to naming accuse 3 Mthobisi Mncube as the alleged first intruder under cross-examination by the former legal representative for accused 1 to 4, attorney TT Thobane.

Interrogating Madlala on Mncube, asking Madlala on which hand the first intruder had the gun when he stormed into the house wearing a scotch hat and a brown or caramel jacket.

Madlala at the time responded, “I think on his right hand.”

Thobane then put it to Madlala that Mncube was left-handed, to which Madlala responded, “I don’t know about that.”

However, when it was put to Madlala that on the day of the shooting the 38-year-old Ncube, who’s currently serving 35 years for a different crime, didn’t have dreadlocks, Madlala disputed this, “Those are lies.”

This was never taken forward.

It has now been on two occasions that a witness did a dock identification of the alleged second intruder who allegedly entered the house on 26 October 2014, but the court is yet to hear, who of the five accused could have been the alleged first intruder with the gun.

Thwala in his testimony would not link any of the accused to the crime that took place at the Khumalo household on that night.

Under cross-examination by Advocate Zandile Mshololo, Thwala told the court that his description of the intruders, which informed the drawing of the identikit of the alleged intruders, had not led to the arrest of anyone even though it could still be useful in the future.

That was the second time Thwala had made a veiled direct reference to the accused and his position on them. The first time was under cross-examination by Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, when he was asked, “Is it true that you have not said anything about accused 4’s involvement in the crime?”

In response, Thwala, said, “I have not said anything about anyone’s involvement.”

In 2020, Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli were 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 the charges.

The case has been postponed to the 12th of June when the state is expected to conclude leading Khumalo’s evidence-in-chief and the case will run until the 15th before it is postponed again.

Advocate Charles Mnisi, who is also a long-distance runner, says he will not be in court on the 12th of June, as he will be taking part in the Comrades Marathon on the 11th.

Someone standing him for him as the witness will continue with evidence-in-chief. #SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwa

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) May 19, 2023