By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Senzo Meyiwa trial resumed with the lead investigator in the case, Brigadier Bongani Gininda, continuing his testimony.
Gininda is said to be the last state witness.
Tuesday’s proceedings continued without the lawyer for accused number one. Defence counsel Thulani Mngomezulu, who represents Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya.
The lawyers involved in the case met in the judge’s chambers discuss Mngomezulu’s absence in court.
Last Tuesday, the court had to adjourn for the rest of the week, to allow Mngomezulu to attend to his health issues.
During the proceedings, Gininda told the court that he is adamant that intruders entered the Khumalo’s home on night the football star was murdered.
Gininda said while there were conflicting reports that the alleged shooter was one of those inside the house, the eyewitnesses stated otherwise.
“Right at the beginning when I was trying to establish whether there were intruders, at the preliminary stage of the analysis of this docket, for me the first responding police officers being informed clearly that the people who were involved in that shooting ran to a certain direction is a clear indication that there were people who were involved and they ran to a certain direction. And those people were not found. This is in addition to the neighbours who witnessed people running.”
According to Gininda, the confession statement that was given by Bongani Ntanzi, accused number two in the case, explains what transpired in the house. Also what transpired after they left the Khumalo residence after Meyiwa was murdered.
Reading the statement to the court, Gininda stated that Ntanzi said he was briefed that the person that was going to be killed was Senzo Meyiwa. Also that the person who commissioned the job was Kelly Khumalo, who would also pay for the job.
He said he understood the case to be a robbery gone wrong, until the statement by Ntanzi.
“We then agreed that Fisokuhle Ntuli would drive, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya would wait outside. Myself and Mthobisi Carlos Mncube would enter the house. And Mthokozisi Maphisa would be back-up,” Gininda read.
Gininda further said he was not aware of the names and roles.
“Maphisa’s name was mentioned in the diary of the first investigating team. But the follow-ups were negative,” he added.
“Sunday between 19h00 and 20:00, we proceeded to the address, “Gininda continued to read the statement.
“I went into the house with Carlos. And when we entered the house, Carlos shouted in Zulu, ‘Phansi, imali nama phone’. When he reached for the phones, Senzo tried to stop him, and the gun went off.”
Gininda said he only knew the part about the money and cellphone. This as it was mentioned in the statements of the people who were in the house.
After the shooting, he explained, they returned to the hostel.
When asked if he knew what happened in the house, Gininda said all he knew was that Senzo was shot. But he did not know who shot him.
All I knew was that Kelly’s cellphone was taken. I did not know anything about the money. In the confession statement, Ntanzi details how there was later disagreements about money. And that resulted in a meeting held by Sibiya’s family and led by his father.
“It then emerged in the meeting that Sibiya had allegedly disclosed information about the killing of Senzo. But it was decided in the meeting that all of it should be kept a secret.”
All five of the men on trial have entered not guilty pleas in connection with the 2014 murder of the Bafana Bafana star.