Colonel Lambertus Steyn sent the State’s case tumbling when he testified at the Senzo Meyiwa trial, on Thursday, categorically linking Kelly Khumalo to one of the five suspects accused of his murder.
Colonel Lambertus Steyn turns Senzo Meyiwa trial on its head
Colonel Lambertus Steyn was roped into the Meyiwa murder case on 9 April 2020 to analyse the cell phone data of individuals present at the scene when the former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was fatally shot in 2014.
Steyn informed the court that investigators had everyone’s device but Kelly’s second cellphone, which was the only item stolen during the alleged robbery.
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Cellphone data from Zandile Khumalo’s pulled nothing of particular interest, Steyn revealed. Kelly’s sister, as she’d testified, had been in contact with Longwe Twala, her boyfriend at the time, and cellphone data placed Chicco’s son outside the Vosloorus property moments before Meyiwa was murdered.
Much of the same was the case with one of Kelly Khumalo’s cellphones. Steyn told the court that on the cellphone registered under ‘Kelly Bookings’, no particular activity of interest was observed between 14:00 and 23:00.
However, further analysis of the phone brought an unexpected obstacle in the State’s case, as Steyn testified that Kelly Khumalo had interacted with Accused 5 at least twice in the weeks leading up to Meyiwa’s death.
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Cellphone data links Kelly Khumalo to Sfisokuhle Ntuli
According to Steyn, the songstress first received a phone call from Sfisokuhle Ntuli on 2 August 2014, which lasted for about two minutes.
This phone call appears to be a significant link between Kelly Khumalo and the accused number five, potentially raising questions about their association in the context of the murder case.
The second phone call was received by Kelly Khumalo a week before Senzo Meyiwa’s passing on 15 October 2014. This time, Khumalo and Ntuli were on the phone for a little over 90 seconds.
The state prosecutor, Advocate George Baloyi, sought clarification from Colonel Steyn about the identity of the caller, to which he confirmed that the second party was indeed suspect number five, Sfisokuhle Ntuli.
The timing of this call in proximity to the murder has raised further questions and warranted a deeper investigation into its significance.
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Colonel Lambertus Steyn’s testimony is likely to have a significant impact on the trial’s direction, potentially shedding new light on the events leading up to Senzo Meyiwa’s untimely death.
The state is expected to continue leading Steyn in his evidence on Friday, as they aim to strengthen their case against the accused.
On the other hand, the defence, specifically Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who, coincidentally represents Ntuli in the case, will have the opportunity to cross-examine the police witness, attempting to clarify or challenge the presented evidence.
This marks the first time, since the start of the Senzo Meyiwa trial, that Kelly Khumalo has been directly linked with the persons accused of the crime.
Follow live updates and broadcasts of the Senzo Meyiwa trial on Swisher Post.