The trial of the five men accused of killing Senzo Meyiwa resumes in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria five months after the first witness took the stand.
Even though the trial kicked off on April 11, it is yet to move past first witness Sergeant Thabo Johannes Mosia, a forensic officer who was among the first to arrive at the Vosloorus home of Meyiwa’s then girlfriend Kelly Khumalo following the shooting.
It remains uncertain if Mosia will indeed be returning to the witness stand to continue with his evidence as the court was notified during earlier proceedings that he was scheduled to undergo a back operation in the coming months.
The trial has experienced a number of hiccups, including the withdrawal of legal counsel for four of the five men, advocate Malesela Teffo, and due to the existence of a second docket which the National Prosecuting Authority has since clarified its stance on.
The instructing attorney for the four men, Timothy Tshepo Thobane, has, following the abrupt withdrawal of Teffo from the hearing, disassociated himself from the controversial advocate in relation to the case.
The second docket in the matter cites the suspects in the murder of Meyiwa as Longwe Twala, Khumalo, Gladness Khumalo, Zandi Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Maggie Phiri.
It derailed the trial after the cross-examination of Mosia had started.
Despite the existence of the second docket being explained in court through a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions in the South Gauteng Division of Johannesburg to have been the opinion of a junior state advocate within the office, and without any merit, it has remained a bone of contention in the case.
NPA regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana recently explained their stance, that the Director of Public Prosecutions in Pretoria had indicated that a decision regarding the second docket would be taken only after the conclusion of the current trial.
Mahanjana said the reason for this was as a result of the credibility findings that might have been made by the trial court against the witnesses who were in the house at the time of the incident, which would be taken into account.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sthemba Sibiya, 34, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, 30, Mthobisi Prince Ncube, 36, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, 35, and Sifisokuhle Ntuli, 32, will be back in the dock today.