Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Eyewitness Mthokozisi Thwala under cross exam

The eyewitness testifying in the murder trial of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa had a hard time convincing defense advocate, Sipho Ramosepele, of what happened on that fateful night.

The Bafana Bafana captain was shot dead in the family home of his then-lover and musician Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, in 2014.

Five suspects, Bongani Ntanzi, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Mthobisi Ncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for Meyiwa’s murder.

Ramosepele, who is representing two of the suspects, found Thwala’s version of the events at odds with how a typical robbery would take place.

ALSO READ: Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumes amid uncertainty over Judge Maumela’s fate

What happened that night according to Mthokozisi Thwala

Thwala was one of seven people in the house that night. He told the court a pair of intruders entered the home through the kitchen door, demanding cellphones and money.

He described the first intruder as a man armed with a gun while a second invader was carrying a sharp object which may or may not have been a knife.

Khumalo’s younger sister, Zandi, who was in the house at the time of the murder, was dating Longwe Twala, son of music legend Chicco Twala.

Thwala testified that Longwe had got up in the midst of the chaos, pushed the gunman aside and ran outside.

ALSO READ: Senzo Meyiwa trial judge Tshifhiwa Maumela one of two under fire for delayed judgments

Thereafter, Meyiwa and the others decided to take on the robbers before gunshots rang out.

Ramosepele, however, argued the intruders would not let Longwe just leave the house, and would have at least made an attempt to restrain him while attempting to flee, either physically, or using any of the weapons the two intruders carried on them.

Ramosepele pointed that on Thwala’s version of events, it would mean that Longwe then failed to alert police of the robbery. He then pressed on, saying Longwe was in the house at the time shots were fired.

Thwala stuck to his version, insisting that Longwe had escaped the scene. The trial continues.

ALSO READ: Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: One of the accused denied bail