Senzo Meyiwa trial resumes on Monday – Here’s the latest

The trial of the five men accused of murdering former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa, will resume at the Pretoria High Court on Monday, 5 September. 

The trial will resume with accused 1-4 represented by instructing attorney, TT Thobane after Advocate Malesela Teffo quit citing harassment from the State and Presiding Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela. 

ALSO READ: Advocate Teffo withdraws from Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

LATEST ON THE SENZO MEYIWA TRIAL 

To recap, the trial was postponed to allow defence lawyer, Advocate Zandile Mshololo who represents accused 5 to peruse the contents of the second docket which implicates singer Kelly Khumalo, her sister Zandile Khumalo-Gumede, her mother and others who were present the night Meyiwa was murdered. 

This week the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Gauteng Division (Johannesburg) Advocate Sbongile Mzinyathi said a decision will be made on the second docket once the current trial of the five men has concluded. 

Initially when the second docket was brought up in court, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the docket does not have any merit as it was merely an internal opinion by a junior State advocate. 

Furthermore, the NPA cleared what it called “confusion” regarding the jurisdiction of the second docket as it was transferred from Johannesburg to Pretoria. The NPA said this will not in any way affect the ongoing trial.

In a statement, NPA Regional spokesperson in Pretoria, Phindi Mjonondwane said they adopted a prosecutorial strategy that a decision be made after all evidence is led during the current trial and findings thereon, which will inform an assessment of what will transpire.

Meanwhile, Senzo Meyiwa’s brother Sifiso said they believe the five accused currently standing trial are the wrong people. He said long before the five accused men were arrested and detained, a number of others were brought in and forced to confess to murdering Senzo.  

“In 2019, the investigating officers in the second docket finished their investigation and gave the docket to one of the advocates. Upon perusing the contents, he was adamant they would make an arrest. He was then suspended and no arrests were made,” he said in an interview before the trial was postponed.

ALSO READ: ‘No U-turn’: NPA clears the air on docket implicating Kelly Khumalo