Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Witness denies claims he was paid money or coached to implicate accused men

Senzo Meyiwa’s close friend has denied claims that he was paid money or coached to implicate the five men currently standing trial for the soccer star’s murder in 2014.

Tumelo Madlala, the State’s third witness, has been on the stand since Tuesday, at the Pretoria High Court, giving his account of what transpired on the night Meyiwa was killed in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni.

The former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper died in hospital after he was shot during an alleged botched robbery on 26 October, at the family home of his then-lover, singer Kelly Khumalo.

ALSO READ: ‘Senzo and Zandie Khumalo had sexual relationship’: Attorney makes shocking claim in court

Sifisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Ncube and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa are facing a string of charges in connection with Meyiwa’s murder.

The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Cross-examination

During cross-examination on Thursday, Madlala denied suggestions made by instructing attorney, Tshepo Thobane, that he was paid money to implicate his clients in the soccer star’s murder.

This after Thobane – the defence lawyer for accused number one to four – alleged that Madlala was coached on his testimony in the high-profile murder trial.

“I put it to you that you were given money to come and testify in these proceedings… and you were coached on how to testify in these proceedings,” Thobane said.

Madlala said Thobane’s claims were untrue and based on lies.

“Those are lies, those are lies! What you’re saying is a lie,” he protested.

Accused No. 2 pointed out

Earlier, Madlala pointed out accused number two, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, as the man who got into a struggle with Meyiwa on the night his life was cut short.

State prosecutor Advocate George Baloyi asked Madlala to identify the accused in the dock he believes intruded into the Khumalo house and demanded cell phones and money from the people inside.

READ MORE: Witness points out accused No. 2 as the man who got into a tussle with Senzo Meyiwa

This after Madlala on Wednesday, said he would identify the intruder in the dock among the five accused, claiming that seeing him in court this week had made him feel “uncomfortable”.

“You said it was for the first time that you see them [the accused] in person; who is this person who made you feel uncomfortable in court?” Baloyi asked Madlala.

Madlala said in response: “It’s the man with the blue T-shirt; he is the one who got into a struggle with Senzo”.

Madlala insisted that Ntanzi was the intruder Meyiwa had pinned against the wall in the kitchen on that fateful night.

“If you’ve seen someone before and then you meet them again, it wouldn’t be difficult to identify or recognise that person.

“I won’t tell lies about someone in a matter like this. Even that person knows [the truth],” Madlala contended.

Life insurance cover

Thobane also said the defence would bring a witness to testify that Meyiwa allegedly took out life insurance cover in which Khumalo was a signatory and beneficiary.

Khumalo and Meyiwa were lovers at the time of his murder and he was married to Mandisa Meyiwa.

“I put it to you that a witness will come and testify that Kelly and Senzo took out life cover for Senzo, and Kelly was the signatory and the beneficiary thereof,” Thobane said.

Madlala said in response: “Let the witness come and tell the court that because, as I said before, Senzo didn’t tell me about his policies and life covers because they had nothing to do with me. My life policies and insurance covers also had nothing to do with him.”

READ: Court to hear that Senzo Meyiwa took out life cover and Kelly Khumalo was beneficiary

Zandi and Meyiwa had a ‘sexual relationship’

Among the other shocking claims made by Thobane on Thursday included that Khumalo had instructed her sister, Zandi, to apparently “guard” Meyiwa while she was focusing on her music career and touring.   

Madlala said he knew nothing about this.

Thobane further claimed that the same witness the defence plans to bring to court would testify that Zandi and Meyiwa had a sexual relationship.

“Furthermore, that witness will come and testify that at the end, Senzo ended up having a relationship with Zandi as well. He had a sexual relationship with Zandi because Kelly had been away for a long time.”

Madlala did not dispute Thobane’s claim, saying Meyiwa “loved women”.

“I would never deny that or admit to that because I know that Senzo loved women,” he said.

The trial is expected to resume on Friday morning at 10am.

NOW READ: Witness describes fight and hair flying when Senzo’s wife met Kelly Khumalo in hospital