The five men accused of killing former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, were aggrieved when his friend, Tumelo Madlala referred to them as “dogs” during a short adjournment.
Madlala was testifying on Monday in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
He got emotional when he had to go into detail of how he found his friend lying on the floor with a bullet wound to his chest.
After noticing that he was in tears and unable to speak, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng asked for a short adjournment.
When court resumed, advocate Charles Mnisi who represents accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, told the judge that his client was not happy regarding what Madlala said during the adjournment.
“My lord, I would prefer that you hear those utterance from the accused so that I don’t misinterpret what was said,” Mnisi explained.
Mokgoatlheng insisted that Mnisi tells the court what his client told him.
“This witness pointed at the accused and made utterances and said “aziboshwe izinja”, they all have confirmed this,’’ said Mnisi
“Aziboshe izinja’’ loosely translates ‘’Dogs should be arrested”.
Mokgoatlheng reprimanded Madlala and told him to show respect.
He said: “Mr Madlala, let’s keep the proceedings decent and show respect. I know emotions may flare up, but we are adults. Let’s control the emotions.”
Earlier, Madlala said he punched one of the intruders in the face.
“Senzo was holding the taller one’s upper arm and had pressed him against the wall. I don’t even want to say the second suspect. He was holding this one, this one,” Madlala said pointing at accused number two, Bongani Ntanzi.
Meyiwa was gunned down on October 26, 2014 in Vosloorus while visiting singer girlfriend and mother of his child, Kelly Khumalo.
The people who were in the house on the day Meyiwa was murdered, were Kelly Khumalo and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo (MaKhumalo), Longwe Twala, Meyiwa’s friends, Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly’s then four-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Ntuli are on trial for the murder.
The trial will continues.
IOL