An accused in Meyiwa trial to learn if he’ll be acquitted of footballer’s murder

JOHANNESBURG - An accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial will learn on Tuesday morning if he will be acquitted of the football star’s murder as the Pretoria High Court is set to deliver judgement in his discharge application.

Mthokoziseni Maphisa brought the application in August, arguing that the State has failed to prove its case against him.

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He is accused of being one of five men who carried out the 2014 murder of the Bafana Bafana captain in Vosloorus, on the East Rand.

Meyiwa was shot while at the home of his girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, whom the State believes is the mastermind.

According to the State, Maphisa is one of the lookout men who were outside the home of Khumalo when Meyiwa was shot.

They argue that Maphisa was implicated by one of the State’s key witnesses, Constable Sizwe Zungu, who claimed to see him among his co-accused at the Basotho hostel before and moments after Meyiwa was killed.

The State also points out that Zungu’s account is corroborated by confessions signed by the alleged intruder, Bongani Ntazi.

But Maphisa’s lawyers insist the State is clutching at straws, saying Zungu was not able to place Maphisa at the scene of Meyiwa’s murder.

Judge Ratha Mokgatlheng will hand down his judgement on Maphisa’s application for acquittal.

If he is successful, the charges against him for the murder of Meyiwa will be dropped but he will continue to serve a life sentence for another murder he was convicted of.