A defence witness has denied hosting a gathering at the Vosloorus hostel where the murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa was allegedly planned and celebrated.
Sifiso “Gwabini” Zungu testified in the Pretoria high court on Monday. He challenged the testimony of state witness Const Skhumbuzo Zungu, telling advocate Charles Mnisi: “He is lying.”
Meyiwa, a goalkeeper for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana, was dating singer Kelly Khumalo when he died from a single shot to the chest at her mother’s home in Vosloorus in October 2014.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are on trial for the murder. They have pleaded not guilty.
The policeman, who testified for the prosecution, said he had spent the day of the footballer’s murder at the hostel with his nephew, Gwabini. He testified a gathering attended by the five accused took place in Gwabini’s room at the Basotho hostel in Vosloorus. Two of the accused were carrying firearms. Meyiwa’s death was “celebrated” with a bottle of whisky, he said.
The constable pointed out some of them in pictures downloaded on Mncube’s phone that were taken on the day.
Gwabini, as this testimony was read by Mnisi, said repeatedly: “He is lying” and “That’s a lie”.
He told the court he knows four of the five men in the dock through family and community ties, identifying Sibiya as “the child of my mother’s elder sister” and Ntuli as the son of an uncle. He grew up with Ntanzi, who lived in a neighbouring village, and knew Maphisa from his mother’s home area. He said he does not know Mncube.
The policeman’s father, Absolom Zungu, was also in court last week, recanting a statement he made to police when he implicated Sibiya and Ntanzi in the killing.
Lead investigator Brig Bongani Gininda told the court the constable had to convince his father to give a statement to police. They pair were hesitant because of the close connections between the families.
The court previously heard that the constable had to move his family after receiving death threats.
TimesLIVE
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