Johannesburg - The mystery of the Senzo Meyiwa murder case deepened this week when the Hawks on Friday revealed - for the first time - the existence of a mystery hat they believe could hold the key to solving the crime.
The crime-busting unit revealed this information almost a week after some of their investigators indicated they had identified one of those who was in Kelly Khumalo’s family home in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, when Meyiwa was shot dead nearly two years ago, as a suspect.
The checked-men’s fedora hat was found at the scene of the crime after the former Pirates and Bafana Bafana skipper was killed in 2014, according to the Hawks.
Head of the Gauteng Hawks, General Prince Mokotedi, told The Sunday Independent that a team of investigators from the Provincial Investigations Unit of the SAPS, the Hawks and Crime Intelligence believe that the hat could hold the key to solving the Meyiwa’s death.
The rising soccer star was killed on the night of Sunday, October 26, 2014.
“We have already identified our potential suspects in this case. However, we have this mystery hat (and) none of the people who were in the house can tell who it belongs to. It was found in the house on the night of the murder.
“We had it checked at our forensic laboratories and we could trace the DNA of two different unknown people. None of the DNA of the known people who were in the house matched,” Mokotedi added.
He confirmed that investigators had taken the fingerprints and DNA samples of all the witnesses who were in the house at the time of the incident.
Mokotedi said the DNA of any suspect will be checked to see if it matches the DNA already on the hat.
Meyiwa was shot dead at the family home of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, in what has been described as a robbery gone wrong after two men allegedly entered the house and demanded cellphones, money and other valuables.
Those present in the house on the night of the murder were Kelly, her mother Ntombi, sister Zandi, the son of music producer Chicco Twala, Longwe, and the goalkeeperâ??s friends, Tumelo Madladla and Mthokozisi Twala.
Speculation is that when Meyiwa allegedly tried to protect his girlfriend because one of the men had a gun pointed at her, a bullet reportedly went through his back, exiting through his chest. He died at the scene.
Mokotedi said they are appealing to members of the public to come forward if they recognise the hat and who it could belong to.
“This piece of evidence is crucial because it will be putting the owner of the hat at the murder scene. We really appeal for assistance,” he said.
Mokotedi was reluctant to deny or confirm, as reported in The Sunday Independent last week, whether the identified suspects are any of those who are known to have been in the house at the time of the incident.
Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the perpetrator(s) can call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line on 32211. There is a R250 000 reward.
The Sunday Independent
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