Pretoria - Singer and socialite Kelly Khumalo has hired respected legal eagle Magdalene Moonsamy to attend the high-stakes murder trial of Senzo Meyiwa on a watching brief on her behalf.
“I’m on a watching brief for Ms Kelly Khumalo. You’ll understand that is for reasons which are simply that we need to know what is going on in court, and that has been accepted by His Lordship (the judge) as well as by the defence and the prosecution,” Moonsamy spoke to broadcaster eNCA ahead of the second day of the trial.
“That is to ensure that we are able to have a full understanding and the direct interaction, with direct information from the proceedings as we are here. We are dedicated to this time.”
Asked how Khumalo was holding up, Moonsamy responded: “She is in high spirits. I think she is in high spirits. She is exceptionally well as we are anticipating the closure of this matter for both her children, especially for Thingo”.
Meyiwa was killed on October 26, 2014, while visiting his girlfriend and mother of his child, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus in Gauteng.
In the house that fateful day was Meyiwa, Kelly and her younger sister, Zandi, their mother Ntombi Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, and Kelly’s then 4-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, Kelly’s daughter with Senzo.
Khumalo was not in court when the trial started on Monday, but her lawyer was almost certain the diva would, in future, be called to testify as a witness during the trial.
“That is something we will wait for the prosecution but indeed, seeing that she was in the house at the time. I am certain that that would be the process that would follow,” said Moonsamy.
The trial of the five men accused of the 2014 murder of Meyiwa was postponed on Monday after Advocate Zandile Mshololo, the legal representative of the fifth accused, Sifisokuhle Ntuli, indicated she was unable to proceed with the trial.
She also indicated that the State had released further particulars and statements to the defence at the 11th hour before the high-stakes trial.
“Accused number five has just been ambushed by the conduct of the State to reveal such crucial statements at the 11th hour of the trial. I further submit that the conduct of the State, on its own, has violated a right, a constitutional right of the accused – especially accused number five’s right to a fair trial,” Mshololo charged.
“He has been denied an opportunity to prepare his case and his defence.”
The State did not oppose Mshololo’s application for the trial to stand down until Tuesday.
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