Durban - In an unexpected about turn on Thursday, the man accused of killing Mangosuthu University of Technology student Zolile Khumalo agreed with the State’s remaining evidence, resulting in the State closing its case.
According to the ballistic report, the murder weapon, two cartridge cases and bullets found in Khumalo’s body all matched.
Gunpowder residue tests conducted on the three surviving people, who were in the room during the shooting, came back positive only for Khumalo’s ex-boyfriend and murder accused Thabani Mzolo.
This led to senior State advocate Nadira Moosa cancelling calling the forensic pathologist and ballistic expert to the witness stand, and she then closed the State’s case.
Mzolo, 26, was arrested at the murder scene, at Lonsdale Student Residence in the Durban city centre, on May 1, 2018, immediately after the shooting. It is alleged that he shot Khumalo at the residence in the presence of her roommate and a friend.
Mzolo’s attorney, Bonokwakhe Dlamini, told the court that he intended calling Mzolo as a witness, but asked for an adjournment to consult with him and prepare his defence. The trial resumes on December 9.
Khumalo’s friends and family, who had travelled to the Durban High Court from Eshowe for the past 10 days of the trial, were relieved that Mzolo had not challenged some of the State’s crucial evidence, but some felt it may have helped them in the grieving process to have heard in court from the forensic pathologist exactly how Khumalo had died.
Her uncle, Solomon Khumalo, said the family were still trying to come to terms with the death of their daughter.
“We are happy that he is not going to challenge the evidence. Coming to court every day for the past 10 days has not only taken its toll on us emotionally, but it has had dire financial implications. Some of us had to hire transport to get to town, to take public transport to Durban. Some of the family members are still too traumatised to even attend the case,” he said.
The family hoped the trial would conclude before the end of the year.