Kagiso Tefu, who is an ex-girlfriend of accused No 3 Mthobisi Mncube confirmed that when police officers arrested Mncube in 2015 for another case and they found him in possession of a firearm.
Tefu took the stand in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial at the North Gauteng High Court to give evidence regarding the time when she moved in with Mncube in Malvern, Joburg in January 2015.
She told court that Mncube was arrested on 9 February 2015, a few weeks after they moved in together in a rented room in Malvern where they were staying.
Tefu said three police officers stopped abruptly near them (her and Mcube) as they were about to enter the gate where they had been cohabiting for a couple of weeks. The police entered and searched the room where they found a firearm and a box, but she didn’t know what was inside it.
State prosecutor George Baloyi asked Tefu where she was and where Mncube was when the police conducted a search.
“I was standing outside with a female police officer and there were three of them. Two police officers and accused Number 3 were inside the room. Then one of the police officers said he found a firearm on top of the wardrobe. Then he asked the female police officer to fetch the exhibit bags in the car.
“They took that firearm and put it in the bag but before they put it in the bag they asked us if we were aware of this firearm. I personally replied by saying I don’t know this firearm and the accused person didn’t reply. He just kept quiet,” Tefu told the court.
“Then they said they are going to arrest both of us. That is when accused No 3 said this one doesn’t know anything and he was referring to me. Then they took him with them and they left,” she added.
Baloyi asked Tefu who the wardrobe in the room belonged to and she said all the furniture in the rented room belonged to Mncube.
Earlier this month police officers attached to the organized crime and taxi violence unit, Sergeant Mandla Masondo and Sergeant Bhekumuzi Dlamini told the court Mcube was arrested for a taxi-related violence case in Alexandra.
They said when he was arrested he was in possession of a firearm and 28 rounds ammunition.
Last week, Police officers attached to the visible policing unit in Cleveland captain Blessing Mtshali said the same gun said to be linked to the Meyiwa murder should have been destroyed in 2017 but due to lengthy processes there was a delay.
Another witness Chipane Kgaphola who also took the stand on Monday said he was Mncube’s landlord and confirmed the accused was nabbed at his Malvern property in 2015.
Kgaphola said his caretaker informed him that there was a couple looking for a room to rent and he met the couple in mid January 2015 outside the yard of the Malvern property where they discussed rentals.
The couple moved in mid January and they paid a full month rent of R1 600 and Mncube didn’t give a reason why they wanted to move in, Kgaphola said adding that they also paid rent for February.
Baloyi asked if Mncube and his girlfriend moved in immediately after paying rent
Kgaphola responded by saying: “Because I didn’t see the truck or things. I knew that they were meaning to come in immediately. I think they moved in the next day. I think so.”
Baloyi asked if he remembered what Mncube looked like at that particular time.
“Yes, I do. The only thing I remember in detail is the fact that he had dreadlocks,” said Kgaphola before adding that he remembered he had dreadlocks because he was concerned that he would be loud as a ‘Rastafarian’.
“I was concerned about noise. There were two things I was concerned about which was noise. The second wasn’t so much a concern. It made me happy that they were a couple because the other people in the rooms were couples and didn’t take kindly to single males or single females renting a room in the house,” said Kgapola.
“Can you perhaps expand when you say you were concerned about the noise, what do you mean,” asked Baloyi.
“With no offence to Rastafarians I thought maybe he was going to be making noise with guitar or something. But no offence meant,” said Kgapola.
The witnesses in the house on the night Bafana Bafana Captain Senzo Meyiwa was killed – Tumelo Madlala, Zandile Khumalo and Mothokozisi Thwala have placed a man with dreadlocks at the scene of the crime as one of the intruders.
However, Madlala and Khumalo have pointed out accused Number 2, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi as one of the intruders who barged in the Vorsloorus house in 2014.
The five men on trial are: Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli .
They are charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a license and possession of ammunition and they have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The trial continues
