Tempers flare up in Senzo trial

IN an effort to highlight inconsistencies in the evidence of the first State witness, the defence spent most of yesterday morning reading through three statements made by Zandile Khumalo following the death of Bafana Bafana captain, Senzo Meyiwa.

Zandile was under cross-examination by advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, who is representing one of the five men accused of killing Meyiwa during a botched robbery in 2014.

Khumalo appeared irked when Nxumalo said her statements were inconsistent and her blaming police for how they wrote the statements was further proof that she was lying.

“I put it to you that the person who shot Meyiwa was one of the people who were in the house; he didn’t shoot himself,” Nxumalo said.

“You can put it to me 50 times if that makes you sleep well at night, but there were two intruders that came into the house,” retorted Zandile.

“I don't like it when you talk to me like that,” Nxumalo replied sharply. “Well, me too.

“If you raise your voice I will do the same. So, it's up to you,” replied Zandile.

“You are here to assist the court,” Nxumalo told Zandile.

“Yes, I am here to assist the court, but you are here to block it,” she replied.

Zandile then asked to say something before she continues with her cross-examination.

"Please watch your tone when you speak to me. I am not your wife, I am someone else's wife,’’ she told Nxumalo.

Last week, Zandile told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that she had a mental block and failed to dial 10111 after the intruders fled the scene.

After reading all the statements, Nxumalo said she failed to mentionthis to police.

“I do remember saying it, I did not say it for the first time in court. I have no control over what a police officer writes or considers important when taking statements,” she said.

Nxumalo also reminded her of a time when she said she did not hit the suspect because she was short and there were people in front of her. “Yes, I remember,’’ she said. “But here in your statement, you mention that you hit him on the head,” Nxumalo reminded her.

“Thing is, I tried to hit him but I couldn't reach,” Zandile replied.

Nxumalo added that there was a text message which Longwe Twala had sent to his father, Sello Chicco Twala, saying Meyiwa was shot in front of them.

“He is suggesting he was there, but you said Longwe ran out,” said Nxumalo, pointing to the inconsistency.

“He will come and speak for himself here in court, I can't speak on his behalf,” she replied.

Instead, Nxumalo said there was no intruder when Meyiwa was gunned down.

“The deceased was shot by one of the people in the house,” he argued.

“What you are saying does not exist,’’ Zandile responded.