Senzo Meyiwa murder case: Longwe Twala wants to tell it all

Twala is reported to consider telling the truth about what happened on the night Meyiwa was killed.

Longwe’s father and African township pop musician and producer, Chicco Twala, is also reported to be in high spirits following his son’s recovery after undergoing a lengthy spell at a drug rehabilitation centre.

Sources close to the young Twala were describing him as ‘sober’ and a ‘changed man. He is also said to be in ‘high spirit’ and that his strained relationship with his father is on the mend. The report said Longwe is now ready to have his voice heard after his silence about Meyiwa’s murder.

Meanwhile, shortly after Meyiwa’s murder, Mbatha spent almost three weeks in police custody. He became the first suspect to be arrested by the police for allegedly killing the soccer star during the alleged botched house robbery at the home of Kelly Khumalo’s mother.

Police reports described Mbatha as the armed dreadlocked Rastafarian who pulled the trigger and fired the fatal shot that claimed the life of the Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates football legend.

The case against Mbatha was later dismissed at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Courts due to a lack of evidence linking him to the crime scene.

Since his release, Mbatha has been living the life of a recluse and he told Kathorus MAIL that he stopped socialising publicly. He now prefers to keep only the company of his close family and relatives.

Mbatha described his brief detention by the police for a crime he did not commit as traumatizing. “Especially when you’ve never even fired a gun before in your life, let alone owned one”, lamented the married family man who lives in a rented shack with his wife and two children – a mere stones’ throw away from the former Khumalo home where Meyiwa was killed.

“I went into hiding to shield myself from the prying eyes of people I feared could have questioned my release from jail and misconstrued it as something else. Simply because they may, despite the magistrate’s ruling, still have believed I was responsible for the death of Meyiwa.”

Mbatha told Kathorus MAIL that after his arrest, he was taken to the George Gogh Police Station where he was lined up in an identity parade and later identified as the main suspect of three fugitives seen fleeing after a rowdy commotion and a gunshot or two were heard from the Khumalo home on the evening Meyiwa died.

Evidence presented at Jidg Tshifhiwo Maumela at the Pretoria High Court has since heard that those present inside the house on the night the alleged robbery and murder drama unfolded in the Khumalo home were:

• Singer and actress Kelly Khumalo,

• Her younger sister Zandi Khumalo,

• Their mother, Ntombi Khumalo,

• Soccer star Meyiwa Meyiwa,

• Longwe Twala,

• Mthokozisi Thwala and Meyiwa’s friend,

• Tumelo Madlala together with

• Kelly’s four-year-old son and her daughter, Thingo

Defence Adv Teffo Maselela, representing four of the five, with Adv Zandile Mshololo, for the fifth accused, Fisokuhle Ntuli, appearing before Judge Maumela for Meyiwa’s murder, are pleading for the trial to be dismissed and the release of their clients.

Both Teffo and Mshololo are expected to re-open the trial arguing that all the people who were inside the Khumalo home on the night Meyiwa was killed, should appear in court to explain what they know about the incident.

Asked for his comment, Zamokuhl Mbatha, said he believes that Longwe’s statement to reveal what he knows about what happened the night Meyiwa was killed, not only will assist the current court process to reach a conclusive verdict, but also provide closure to the Meyiwa family.

“More important”, explained Mbatha, “When the truth is revealed, it will also free him from his own fears and eight years of hibernation.”

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