Startling evidence this week in the long-running Senzo Meyiwa murder trial suggests the soccer star's murder may have been an assassination and not a robbery gone wrong.
A cellphone expert who took to the stand revealed five important aspects which have finally shed some light and direction on the state's case.
Col Lambertus Steyn told the court that cellphone data he collected after Meyiwa's 2014 assassination uncovered that his girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, had been in contact with one of the accused, Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, on at least two occasions before Meyiwa's death — the last being just days before his murder.
Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa are accused of killing Meyiwa. He was shot dead in Khumalo's presence at her mother's home in Vosloorus. Also present at the time of the murder were Kelly's sister Zandile, her boyfriend Longwe Twala, Khumalo's mother Ntombi Khumalo and two of Meyiwa's friends who were visiting from KwaZulu-Natal.
Steyn found that data from Kelly's phone was mysteriously wiped hours after Meyiwa was shot dead.
He said his probe revealed that there were cellphone links between four of the five accused, meaning it was highly probable that they knew each other.
He also found that a sim swap was done on Meyiwa's phone number just hours after his death. This despite the phone being in the police's possession after it was taken from the house where Meyiwa was shot.
Steyn also found that photos downloaded from accused Ncube's phone shortly after his arrest revealed that he had dreadlocks about the time Meyiwa was murdered. This was integral as reports from numerous people — those who were inside the house when Meyiwa was shot and neighbours who witnessed people flee from the direction of the Khumalo house — all placed a dreadlocked man in the vicinity.
Steyn has not yet been cross-examined.
We believe that this is an assassination we are dealing with and with every assassination there needs to be a mastermind
— Barry Bateman
Civil rights organisation AfriForum said the evidence revealed by Steyn supported a theory that Meyiwa was assassinated and there was a mastermind behind it all.
AfriForum's private prosecution wing has been supporting Meyiwa's brother Sfiso's call for answers on what happened to the revered goalie.
“We believe that this is an assassination we are dealing with and with every assassination there needs to be a mastermind,” said AfriForum spokesperson Barry Bateman. “All the little pictures put together create what we believe is what adv Gerrie Nel has said from the very beginning — that this is not a robbery gone wrong.”
The version of all the people who were with Meyiwa that night was that he had been shot in a bungled robbery. They claimed two men had entered the house demanding money and cellphones. When Meyiwa wrestled with one of them, he was being shot.
“So this could be the direction the state is moving in,” Bateman said. “We are glad we have finally reached that point but it has raised questions that need to be answered by certain individuals and we hope that will [happen] in this trial,” he said.
“What has been presented so far in court, particularly this week, goes a long way to confirming what we believe happened that night.”
The trial resumes on Monday.
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