Senzo Meyiwa’s killer and the gun that killed him were in the house, says defence lawyer

He alleges his clients are being used as scapegoats to shield the real killer

31 May 2022 - 18:12
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Advocate Malesela Teffo, who is defending some of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, on Tuesday said his clients were being used as scapegoats.
Advocate Malesela Teffo, who is defending some of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, on Tuesday said his clients were being used as scapegoats.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

A defence lawyer in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has told the Pretoria high court the people who should be charged and questioned about what happened to him were those who were in the house with him before his killing. 

Advocate Malesela Teffo put it to state witness Sgt Thabo Mosia that there are two cases that have been opened with regards to Meyiwa’s murder.

“The theory in [one] case is that according to their (investigating officers’) evaluation or finding of their investigations, it is nonsensical to say anybody entered the house ,” he said.

Teffo submitted to court that he fully backed the theory in a draft stating the killer and the murder weapon were in the house. 

“According to this case seven people who were supposed to be arrested and charged were [already] in that house,” he said.

Teffo said according to the case, the suspects were Longwe Twala, Kelly Khumalo, Gladness [Ntombi]  Khumalo, Zandile Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Maggie Phiri, who allegedly cleaned the crime scene. 

The draft had proposed they be charged for  murder and defeating the ends of justice. 

Reading from the draft, Teffo said it stated: “In that the accused who acted as perpetrator intentionally killed Meyiwa by shooting him. In that the accused did unlawfully and with intent defeated the ends of justice. Accused one to six hatched a plan to say they were robbed by an unknown person. Accused seven cleaned the scene before police arrival,” he said.

Meyiwa, who was at the time a celebrated goalkeeper for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana, was gunned down in what was described as a botched robbery in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg.

Kelly Khumalo was his girlfriend and with her was her mother Ntombi, sister Zandi, Zandi’s boyfriend Longwe Twala and his friends Mthokozisi Twala and Tumelo Madlala. 

Khumalo’s two minor children, including the daughter she has with Meyiwa, were also in the house at the time. 

The six had alleged that a gunman had entered the house, shot Senzo and fled.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli have been charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.

The group has pleaded not guilty.

Teffo told the court his clients are scapegoats to avoid charging the right people.

The group in the house allegedly loaded an injured Meyiwa into his car and drove him to hospital, where he was certified dead. 

Teffo said: “We will first look at the driver, who is the key actor in that act,” he said.

He alleged that their conduct amounted to defeating the ends of justice and concealing a death. 

Teffo said a witness would testify that Meyiwa was shot with a revolver, not a 9mm. 

Earlier Teffo questioned whether Meyiwa was alive when driven to the hospital, and said a witness would testify that he died at the scene of the crime.

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