By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Defence advocate Zithulele Nxumalo drew a clear contradiction between Kelly Khumalo’s police statement and Senzo Meyiwa’s close friends Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Thwala, about the exact location where Meyiwa was shot.
Meyiwa was fatally wounded in what was described as a botched robbery in the presence of his then-girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, her mother Ntombi, sister Zandi, and her boyfriend Longwe Twala and Senzo’s friends Thwala and Madlala.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are on trial for the murder of the footballer. They have been charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.
A police statement, which was written by Khumalo following Meyiwa’s death at the Botshelong hospital, revealed that the alleged scuffle with two intruders happened in the dining room, as opposed to testimonies by Madlala and Thwala that he was shot in the kitchen area.
The statement, which was the subject of Thwala’s cross-examination on Thursday, also suggested that Khumalo’s mother was involved in the scuffle with the second intruder. Khumalo also cited that the intruders entered through the dining room door.
“Paragraph nine of Kelly’s statement says I jumped backwards and my sister said something hit her leg and she thought she was shot… I then saw Senzo running towards me trying to grab me. I grabbed him and I could see that he was weak. He fell to arms, and I saw a shot of blood on his back and I turned him over and I saw a lot of blood on his chest, he fell over on the couch, and I held him whilst screaming for help,” read Nxumalo.
Nxumalo argued that Khumalo’s statements changed the texture of the case in relation to where Thwala heard the gunshot, which was in the kitchen.
He said, What is having been said by your friend Tumelo is in contrast with what Kelly is saying in the statement… do you agree with that?
But Thwala maintained that his version of events was according to what he saw on that fateful night.
“Both myself and Tumelo mentioned that it happened in the kitchen, but she starts by saying that they entered the living room.. but maybe she can come to explain for herself,” he said.
The trial continues.
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Video Courtesy of SABC.