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Late Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Meyiwa's murder trial date set
Seven years after the ex-Bafana Bafana star was gunned down, justice is yet to be served
The trial date for the five men accused of murdering former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa has been set to begin on April 11, 2022.
The High Court sitting in Palm Ridge, Gauteng decided on the date following an agreement reached between the prosecution team and the lawyers representing the alleged killers.
After starting on April 11 to 29, the trial is scheduled to continue between May 30 and June 17 in what is expected to bring closure to the murder case of Meyiwa, who was gunned down in Vosloorus on the East Rand on October 26, 2014.
“We have agreed that six weeks before the trial, the state will make available nine witness statements which were withheld for security reasons,” prosecutor George Baloyi told the court as per Sowetan Live.
“The state will also undertake to make available a core bundle of all the witness statements to the defence…The contents of the dockets have already been disclosed…
“All the preliminary arrangements have been made. The trial should commence on April 11. All the parties will be ready for trial. Witnesses are from the Vosloorus area.”
Meyiwa was shot dead at the home of his then-girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo.
But the murder case has dragged on until the arrest of the accused on October 26, 2020, the day which marked six years since Meyiwa was killed.
Lobby group AfriForum, who are representing the Meyiwa family are, however, “disappointed” the matter has been pushed to next year.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, who is AfriForum’s head of private prosecutions, also said they hope more suspects will be added to the trial.
“It has been seven years since Mr Meyiwa was tragically killed,” said Nel on EWN.
“We have no idea why this matter couldn’t have proceeded. One could think of a lot of reasons but that was never mentioned, the family was never informed. So the matter has now been postponed for trial [starting] on the 11th of April.
“We certainly hope this is the last postponement because after seven years, any family needs closure. Being disappointed, we still hope the matter will proceed next year at the postponement date.
“Obviously we are still disappointed that only these five accused have been charged in this matter. We will still continue consulting with the police and the investigating officer to see if there is a possibility of other accused being added to this trial.”
AfriForum argues Meyiwa’s death was not a robbery gone wrong as widely believed but a result of contract killing involving a mastermind.
“If we are dealing with a contract killing, you must have a mastermind charged with all the other accused, just to have success in the matter,” Nel added.
