Kelly Khumalo accidentally shot and killed Senzo Meyiwa, court told   

Musician Kelly Khumalo allegedly shot and killed Senzo Meyiwa at her mother’s home in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg.

That’s according to defence lawyer, advocate Malesela Teffo, who is representing four of the five men standing trial for the 2014 murder of the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

During his cross-examination of Sergeant Thabo Mosia on Wednesday, advocate Teffo said he had an eyewitness that would testify before the Pretoria High Court that Khumalo pulled the trigger that eventually led to Meyiwa’s death.

“I put it to you Mr Mosia that a witness, not just a witness, an eyewitness will testify that Senzo Robert Meyiwa was allegedly shot by Nonhlanhla Kelly Khumalo by mistake, as it’s alleged,”  Teffo said.

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Mosia, a forensic police officer who processed the crime scene, said he had no response to the claim that Khumalo might have accidentally shot Meyiwa, who was her boyfriend at the time of his death.

Despite this, Teffo stuck to his claims against Khumalo, telling the court that the murder weapon was brought into the house by Longwe Twala – the son of music icon Chicco Twala.

“The same eyewitness will further testify that the firearm used to shoot Senzo Robert Meyiwa by Kelly Khumalo came with Longwe Twala and the firearm is a revolver,” Teffo said.

At the time of Meyiwa’s murder, Longwe Twala was dating Khumalo’s sister Zandi.

They were among the seven people who were inside the Vosloorus home when the soccer star was allegedly killed in what was described as a botched robbery.

Meyiwa’s killer known

During his cross-examination of Mosia on Tuesday, advocate Teffo told the high court the seven people who were inside the house before Meyiwa was shot should be arrested and questioned for his murder and not his clients.

The seven people who were inside the house were: Kelly Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Gladness Khumalo, Zandile Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala, and Maggie Phiri.

Teffo said there were two cases that were investigated by police and the theory in one of the cases was that there was no botched robbery.

He said the killer and the murder weapon were inside the house, adding that the seven individuals helped to allegedly cover up the murder by contaminating the crime scene before police arrived.

“The accused who acted as perpetrator intentionally killed Meyiwa by shooting him. In that, the accused did unlawfully and with intent defeated the ends of justice.

“Accused one to six hatched a plan to say they were robbed by an unknown person. Accused seven cleaned the scene before police arrival,” Teffo said reading from a draft affidavit.

Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Ncube, and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa face a string of charges over the Bafana Bafana captain’s murder in October in 2014.

The group has pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Kelly Khumalo has no time for criticisms

In an interview with The Citizen last month, Kelly Khumalo refused to be dragged to comment on Meyiwa, his death, or her detractors who continue to blame her for having knowledge about the high-profile murder at her Vosloorus home.

With suspects already arrested in connection with Meyiwa’s death, Khumalo brushed off claims from critics, saying: “I have a very strong and solid relationship with God. It is like a father to a daughter kind of relationship.

“I report everything I do to God while driving – my lifestyle is God, what sustains me.”

Responding to her critics, she said she was annoyed by negative criticism against her “because the noise being made has nothing to do with me.

“It is their noise and they must own it – I cannot be part of that.”

Additional reporting by Brian Sokutu

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