The key state witness in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, Brigadier Philani Ndlovu, has died.
Ndlovu died on Wednesday but his cause of death is still unknown.
Police spokeswoman Brigadier Brenda Muridili said Ndlovu is a former member of the SAPS, so they are not at liberty to make any official comments on his death.
Ndlovu became the center of the case after he was mentioned in the evidence of the state witness, Sergeant Thabo Mosia, during his testimony.
It was revealed that Ndlovu was the first police officer to arrive on the scene after Senzo was murdered.
Advocate Malesela Teffo, representing four of the five murder accused, also told the court that Ndlovu, before calling the forensic to the scene, had a meeting with his superiors and the former MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane on the scene.
READ: ZONDO: There was no reason to arrest Adv Teffo in court
Teffo suggested that Ndlovu engineered the evidence found at the crime scene after the meeting he had. He alleged Ndlovu tampered with the crime scene. Before his death, Ndlovu was due to testify as soon as the trial resumed.
His death came days after Teffo wrote to the North Gauteng High Court in Tshwane requesting the trial to resume sooner than scheduled. He cited that the defense witnesses for accused one to four are receiving serious threats to their lives from police.
"We value the safety and security of our witnesses, the same as the state is protecting its witnesses, though it is not clear who and/or what is endangering the lives of state witnesses," he stated.
Meanwhile, a meeting will be held next week (17 May) between the defense, the state prosecutor, and the judge with the deputy judge president following Teffo’s letter requesting the trial resume earlier than the 30th May citing death threats on witnesses.
Lawyer to accused 5, Advocate Zandile Mshololo, will not be present, as she has ruined before that she has other matters until the 27 May.
