By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The defence counsel for accused number two, in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, advocate Sipho Ramosepele focused on the fateful night when the football star was shot dead.
Meyiwa was shot and killed while visiting his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo at her mother’s residence in Vosloorus, Gauteng, on 26 October 2014.
The lead investigator in the case Brigadier Bongani Gininda took the stand for the cross-examination, led by Ramosepele.
He asked whether the the Khumalos’ neighbours witnessed the commotion after the gun went off, killing Meyiwa.
“Are there statements by the neighbours [the Ngcatshes and the late Makeleni] that say they saw people running out of MaKhumalo house?” Ramosepele asked.
Khaya Ngcatshe, during his testimony, he said he heard loud screams and saw Kelly’s mother coming outside of the house.
“I jumped back. I then went back inside the house as I walked towards the arch and as I was about to turn, I saw Senzo lying down,” he said before proceeding to explain how he, Tumelo Madlala and the neighbours loaded Meyiwa into his BMW X6 while Kelly Khumalo drove all of them to Botshelong Hospital.
An emotional Thwala then explained that Meyiwa was still breathing inside the car but died before they arrived at the hospital.
Makeleni told the police that five people had showed up at Khumalo’s mother’s house the night Meyiwa was shot and killed.
He said that two people had entered the house, but said that other people were in the yard, one at the gate and two others waiting in cars, a VW Polo and an Audi.
“The one of Makeleni,” said Gininda.
“He said he saw three black males running from the Khumalo house. And he said one was armed with gun,” he added.
You said accused two said when he ran out the house one of the other accused ran in.
“But Zandi Khumalo said after the phone of Kelly was taken by the intruder with a firearm [one with dreadlocks], she was in the bathroom and she peeped through the window. He left and she came out of bathroom.
“That is when she saw Senzo running from the kitchen to the dining room with MaKhumalo and Kelly. Nobody else came in, “said Ramosepele, pointing out the discrepancy.
However, Gininda said he was not in court when Zandi testified.
“Yes. The difficulty is that I was not in court. All I can say is in the confession of accused two that he ran out and accused four went in. That’s what he said,” Gininda replied.
The defence counsel further argued that the accused were not outside when the incident happened.
“The witnesses in the house said Longwe stood up and confronted one of the accused (the short one) with a gun. And he ran out of the house. What I want to know is, is there a statement that says when Longwe went outside he saw the other perpetrators who were on the lookout?” Ramosepele asked.
No there isn’t, Gininda responded.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli are standing trial for the murder of the late football star.
They have all pleaded not guilty to all charges.
They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicenced firearm, and possession of ammunition.