Senzo Meyiwa murder scene.
JOHANNESBURG - The Vosloorus police officers who first attended the scene where Senzo Meyiwa was shot in 2014 have been criticised for failing to secure the crime scene upon their arrival.
Sergeant Patrick Mlungisi Mthethwa faced a gruelling cross-examination by the legal counsel of the five men on trial for the murder of Meyiwa at the Vosloorus home of singer Kelly Khumalo, following his testimony in court on Tuesday.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, the legal counsel for Sifisokuhle Ntuli, asked the police officer why they had not left any officers at the scene to ensure that there was no tampering.
Mshololo accused the officer of failing to do his duty, which entailed securing the scene of a crime upon arrival.
Mthethwa responded that, in their minds, there was nothing that had registered or told them that the house was a crime scene.
"There's no way that we would have left people not knowing what was happening," he said.
To which Mshololo retorted: "But the complaint was straightforward to say there had been a shooting in progress."
According to Mthethwa, he and another officer referred to as Mathebula, as well as two students, had responded to a call about a shooting in progress in Vosloorus, Mzamo section, at around 8.53pm.
Upon their arrival, he said they met Themba Khumalo, who informed them he had been called by his sister Ntombi Khumalo to come and guard the house as they were rushing to hospital.
The officer said Khumalo opened the door for them and, upon entry, they saw a hat as well as crutches on the kitchen floor, and two cans of alcohol in the living area.
Afterwards, the officers left and requested that Khumalo lock the house as they headed to the hospital.
Mshololo then proceeded to read witness statements to the officer from people who had gone into the house and cleared up some of the empty alcohol bottles in their (police officers') absence.
The trial continues.