The murder trial of Senzo Meyiwa witnessed another significant development on Thursday, with defence lawyer Zandile Mshololo examining the testimony of General Leshabane at the Pretoria High Court.
General Leshabane took the stand as a defence witness, explaining how he allegedly received details from Constable Sizwe Zungu related to the murder of the former captain of the national soccer team, Senzo Meyiwa.
His testimony prominently featured a statement made in October 2023, along with his discussions with high-ranking SAPS officials relevant to the case. Leshabane confirmed that he authored and signed this statement subsequent to the trial’s commencement.
Under Mshololo’s questioning, Leshabane recounted that while he was in charge of detectives in Gauteng from 2015 to 2016, his team had concluded that at least two intruders had entered Meyiwa’s home during the incident. He negated alternate scenarios that suggested the deadly shot originated from within the residence.
A significant portion of Leshabane’s testimony was devoted to the information he purportedly received from Constable Sizwe Zungu years later. Leshabane claimed that Zungu reached out to him around 2019, presenting information tied to suspects involved in the murder.
Nevertheless, Leshabane maintained that Zungu did not assert he had been present at Basotho Hostel on the night of the murder. Instead, he stated that Zungu indicated the more detailed information was provided by another person named Gwabini.
The court learned that Leshabane subsequently brought this information to the attention of senior police officials, including former National Commissioner Khehla Sitole, Lieutenant General Mawele, and Major General Ndlovu.
Additionally, Leshabane provided insight into attempts to locate a possible murder weapon linked to Zungu’s information, which ultimately yielded negative results in DNA testing.
The proceedings also touched on discussions involving former high-ranking police figures, including General Richard Mdluli Sibiya, whom Leshabane said he consulted to independently evaluate the reliability of the information presented.
This testimony is anticipated to remain critical as the defence continues its arguments in one of South Africa’s most scrutinized murder trials.
