Cape Town – A key state key witness in the murder trial of soccer star, Senzo Meyiwa, former head of detectives in Gauteng, Brigadier Philani Ndlovu has reportedly died.
According to Daily Sun, Ndlovu died on Wednesday after complaining of shortness of breath on Tuesday.
He was the first officer to arrive on the scene after Meyiwa was murdered.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper was gunned down at the Vosloorus home of his pop-star girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, in the southeastern outskirts of Johannesburg during the evening of October 26, 2014.
Six years later in 2020, police arrested five men, now in their 30s.
The men are charged with murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
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All pleaded not guilty to murdering Meyiwa.
SABC reported that defence advocate of the five men, Malesela Teffo alleged that Ndlovu had tampered with the crime scene.
Ndlovu was expected to be called as a state witness to assist the court in establishing what exactly transpired on that fateful October evening.
The trial is expected to resume on May 31.
However, Teffo has requested that the trial resume earlier than that due to death threats on witnesses, according to Daily Sun.
A meeting will be held on May 17 between the defence, the state prosecutor, and the judge with the deputy judge president to deliberate on Teffo’s request.
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Picture: Twitter/@Harry_Shuf
Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
Additional reporting by AFP
