Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Defence ‘schooled’ on how to argue in court

Malesela Teffo, the advocate who is defending four suspects accused of murdering Bafana Bafana soccer star Senzo Meyiwa, seemingly cannot get a break.

The continuation of the highly-publicised and long-awaited murder trial resumed on Monday with the state’s first witness, police forensic investigator Sergeant Thabo Mosia taking the stand.

Mosia’s cross-examination is continuing, but it’s often stalled by cattish exchanges between the state, Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela and Teffo.

How courtrooms work

The offish exchanges became increasingly apparent when the state objected to Teffo’s assertion that female DNA had been found on the infamous hat found at the crime scene. The state believes this hat belongs to the killer.

State prosecutor George Baloyi objected to the defence’s allegation that the DNA on the hat belonged to a woman. Baloyi then revealed that forensic analysis of the hat was not yet complete.

Defence advocate Teffo is also raising questions regarding the integrity of the crime scene – saying he had reason to believe there had been evidence tampering.

Mosia, whose investigative work of the crime scene is under interrogation, on occasion told the court he was not ‘feeling comfortable’ answering questions being put to him because some of the questions were not his area of expertise.

Baloyi, who is representing the state said he did not want to ‘object to every question like a jack-in-the-box’.

Judge Maumela then ordered that all questions not within Mosia’s area of expertise be struck off the roll.

Teffo has also asked that Mosia testifies in his native language because of how he was answering the questions.

Mosia said he was not having problems understanding the cross-examination. “My affidavits are in English,” he said.

Teffo: “You are not answering in the context of the question.”

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 Vosloorus in 2014.

Meyiwa, who also captained Orlando Pirates, was gunned down at the family home of his girlfriend, Afro gospel singer Kelly Khumalo.

Teffo is representing four of the suspects, Sibiya, Ntanzi and Ncube, and Mapisa, all of whom deny ever being at the crime scene before the 26 October 2014 murder, and are currently serving sentences for other crimes.

While Mosia’s time in the witness box has been less than pleasant, he will have to get comfortable in the hot seat, because of cross-examination by advocate Zandile Mshololo, representing the fifth accused, Ntuli, is expected to begin after Teffo.

The trial continues.

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