By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumed in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday.
This comes after presiding judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng requested an early adjournment on Thursday to attend a bereavement outside of the province.
Meyiwa was shot and killed at the house of the mother of his then girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, on the East Rand, on October 26, 2014.
The people who were present in the house during the murder were Kelly, her sister Zandile, their mother Gladness, Meyiwa, Zandile’s then boyfriend Longwe Twala, and Meyiwa’s close friends Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Twala.
During the proceedings, the lead investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda was asked what he found questionable about the statements of those who were in the house on the night Meyiwa was murdered.
Gininda said, that when investigations began, it was alleged that no intruders had entered Khumalo’s home.
The defence counsel Charles Mnisi asked, “What is it that you found in their statements which made you say that their statements were questionable?”
Gininda said, “There were allegations that there were no intruders which would mean that the people who were inside the house would be misleading, so my view was that because there was a dark cloud hanging over them then I should park the statements and look at the objective evidence to either find evidence that supports that there were intruders or that discredit that part.”
Gininda’s evidence thus far points to accused 3, Mthobisi Mncube, as the gun-wielding intruder who shot and killed Meyiwa.
He said cellphone records and a firearm found in Mncube’s possession the following year link him to Meyiwa’s murder.
His evidence also reveals possible links between Mncube and singer Kelly Khumalo, who has been named as the mastermind behind the incident.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, 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.