S/Africa: Meyiwa murder trial resumes after two weeks adjournment

By Mark Ogagan

The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial resumed in the Pretoria High Court on Monday morning.

This comes after the trial was postponed for two weeks due to evidence related to the cellphone communication between all the accused dating back to 2018.

Former Orlando Pirates Captain and South Africa national team goalkeeper, Senzo Robert Meyiwa (Pictured), was shot and killed at his girlfriend’s home on 26 October, 2014.

The State introduced new evidence as court proceedings were due to get under way. The defense accused the State of engaging in a trial by ambush.

Advocate Charles Mnisi said this jeopardizes their defense.

“As the court pleases My Lord, you would recall I was in the process of cross examining Mr Gouws when there was an issue regarding the contents of the record.

“I therefore need to proceed from there but beyond that this is just new information that has surfaced which has to do with my client accused 3.

“There is also a mysterious number which has now also surfaced in documents that were sent overnight and all along the State was asserting that my client is not affected by the cellphone records but all of a sudden there is a new number and I haven’t been consulted. I don’t know where the number comes from, how does it affect him, those are all my concerns.”

Meyiwa, the 27-year-old Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was fatally shot at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus township in October 2014.

Meanwhile, legal analyst Melusi Xulu says the defense was correct as the cellphone records are crucial.

Xulu explains, “They should have received their documents before the trial began, that is why there is a pre-trial conference where all the documents and witnesses that is used by the State are given to defense to say this is the information, evidence we have during the court trial.

“That is why we need to focus on Section 35, which says every accused has the right to challenge every evidence and he or she must be given on time. My concern is this trial started de nova- it started a fresh, these documents should have been made available in the first trial.”