The High Court in Pretoria has granted a request by advocate Zandile Mshololo to postpone the Senzo Meyiwa trial so that she can study the contents in the second docket, referred to as docket 375 which was disclosed last week.
This is the docket which recommends that Kelly Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Gladness Khumalo, Zandile Khumalo, Tumelo Madlala, Mthokozisi Twala and Maggie Phiri be charged for the murder of Senzo Meyiwa.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela said the accused were entitled to a fair and speedy trial. “The fact put on the table by advocate Mshololo is that she needs to go into the contents of the second docket,” he said.
Advocate Mshololo representing accused number five, on Tueday took a swipe at her fellow defence council for his conduct as he tried to make submissions in court. “This is very unfair and unprecedented in our law that when a counsel for another accused is in the middle of cross-examination, another council will bring an application, whether it is on jurisdiction or constitutional violation. The turn for my learned friend is coming,” she said.
Advocate Malesela Teffo, representing accused one to four, addressed the court and made submissions for about two hours and tried to introduce a statement from a witness who was not in the box.
“Mshololo said: “At this time he ought to have respected me and afforded me an opportunity to finish my cross-examination before he could bring the submissions he has made.”
Teffo argued that the rights of his clients were being overlooked by the court, He claimed there was a cover-up regarding the status of the second docket.
Judge Maumela granted Teffo’s wish to prepare arguments as he insists that the trial should be heard at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, and not in the North Gauteng High Court where it is currently being heard.
The case has been postponed to July 12 for heads of argument on the second docket, the trial itself has been moved to September 5.
Source: Times Live, Sowetan Live, IOL, ENCA, image from Twitter