By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Adv Zandile Mshololo has questioned witness Tumelo Madlala’s testimony that Longwe Twala pushed one of the intruders armed with a gun on the night Senzo Meyiwa was killed, stating that it is impossible for an unarmed person to attack a gunman.
Mshololo, who is representing accused number five, Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, at the Meyiwa murder trial sitting in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, asked Madlala how Twala ran towards an armed intruder and was not shot in the process.
During his cross-examination on Wednesday, Madlala said when the first intruder entered the house, he pointed a gun at the people who were inside and demanded money and cellphones.
Madlala said Twala stood up and ran towards the gunman, pushing him in the process.
“It is not possible to approach a person with a gun. How can Longwe run towards the intruder with a gun and not get shot? You said you were scared when you saw the gun, “said Mshololo.
Madlala responded: “I also agree [that it is not possible to run towards a person with gun and not get shot]. Even myself … I am still asking myself that question today. I even confronted him [Twala] about it. It is not possible but it did happen.”
Mshololo said since it was highly questionable as to how Twala pushed the gunman without being shot, there could not have been an intruder in the house.
He stood his ground and maintained that there were intruders that night. “I am the one who was there. It is a lie that no person entered the house,” said Madlala.
Madlala on Thursday continued crossed-examination by Adv Mshololo – who sked him about a statement deposed by Mlungisi Edward Hlophe on 6 March 2019.
Hlophe is believed to be Meyiwa’s brother-in-law and in his affidavit, he alleged that Madlala confessed to him that Meyiwa was shot after intervening to stop a fight between Zandi and Twala.
“I went back inside my car [and] called Tumelo Madlala on the said night of 26 October 2014. I wanted to get the truth of what exactly happened.
“Tumelo told me there was a fight in Kelly Khumalo’s house. Zandi was fighting with her boyfriend and Senzo Meyiwa was trying to separate the two,” Mshololo said, reading from Hlophe’s statement.
Madlala denied Hlophe’s claims saying they were lies. He said it was the first time he had heard of the statement.
He also said he wasn’t close to Hlophe and did not recall ever receiving a call from him.
“If this statement existed, why didn’t he make the statement back then [in 2014]? Why did he submit the statement in 2019?” Madlala asked.
Adv Mshololo also revealed that the defence would bring a witness to testify that Madlala was banned from attending Meyiwa’s funeral by Samuel, Senzo Meyiwa’s father.
Madlala denied this saying he went to the funeral, but never went to the graveyard because it was full.
Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Mthobisi Prince Ncube and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa are standing trial for Meyiwa’s murder.
They face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.
The trial was been postponed to Friday, and the State is expected to re-examine Madlala.
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