The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial took a dramatic turn with revelations implicating Kelly Khumalo as the person who allegedly ordered the hit on the former soccer star.
Senzo Meyiwa murder trial hears explosive confessions
The High Court in Pretoria was captivated on Friday by startling confessions linking the renowned singer to the assassination of her then-boyfriend.
Accused number 2, Bongani Ntanzi volunteered a confession statement, which Lieutenant Colonel Solomon Raphadu, a state witness, read in court, on Friday.
According to the statement, Ntanzi revealed that Khumalo was the one who initiated the plot to eliminate Meyiwa, promising to finance the operation.
“I was briefed that the person to be eliminated or killed was Senzo Meyiwa and the matter is initiated by Kelly Khumalo, who was going to make payment for the whole job,” Ntanzi’s statement outlined.
It further described the roles assigned to the co-accused on the day of the murder, detailing their positions and actions within the planned execution of the crime.
Another shocking revelation came from Muzi Sibiya, whose confession was read by police officer Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho.
Sibiya narrated how he was approached with a proposition to kill Meyiwa, with the job allegedly originating from Kelly Khumalo.
The price? A hefty R100,000. To ensure success, the conspirators even sought the services of a traditional healer, paying him initially R50 and then another R5,000 after consulting on the prospects of their grim task.
On the day of the murder, as per Sibiya’s account, they received confirmation from Khumalo to proceed, culminating in Meyiwa’s tragic death.
Marco, one of the hitmen, confirmed receiving the payment from Khumalo after completing the job, with Sibiya receiving a R30,000 share for his involvement.
Did Kelly Khumalo hire killers to assassinate Senzo Meyiwa?
The narrative surrounding Kelly Khumalo’s involvement in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case first intensified in court on 24 January 2024. At the time, Brigadier Bongani Gininda, under intense cross-examination, used his affidavit to highlight Khumalo’s alleged central role in orchestrating Meyiwa’s murder.
Gininda’s affidavit pointed to Khumalo as the alleged mastermind behind the assassination, a claim supposedly backed by Sibiya’s confession.
Evidence obtained from Accused 3 Carlos Ncube’s cell phone data showed a photograph showing an undisclosed sum of money, found in both Khumalo’s and Ncube’s phones.
Furthermore, cellphone records presented by Colonel Lambertus Steyn, from the SA Police Service’s Cold Case Unit, revealed communications between Khumalo and several accused individuals following Meyiwa’s murder.
At this time, authorities have made no indication that Khumalo may be charged with Meyiwa’s murder. The trial is set to resume in court, on Monday, 18 March 2024.