By Zukile Majova
- Kelly Khumalo remains a “person of interest” in the 2014 murder of her boyfriend, Senzo Meyiwa, though she hasn’t been charged.
- Legal debates in court question whether Khumalo can be both a complainant and a suspect, as detectives suggest her possible involvement in a contract killing.
The name of controversial and outspoken singer Kelly Khumalo continues to loom large as a “person of interest” in the decade-old murder trial of her former boyfriend.
This was revealed in court during the cross-examination of the lead investigator in the murder of former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
Lead investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda has told the North Gauteng High Court that singer Khumalo remains a suspect in the murder case of her late boyfriend.
Khumalo has not been charged with any crime and does not appear in the list of witnesses for the state prosecutors or for the defence team.
This is despite Khumalo having been inside the room when robbers allegedly walked in and shot and killed her boyfriend in front of her.
On Wednesday Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, cross-examining Gininda, asked him: “What is the status of Kelly Khumalo in this case? Is she a suspect or the complainant or a witness in this case? What is her status?”
“My Lord, she is a person of interest. She is a person of interest because we went through this exercise, my lord, of applying for the warrant of arrest for her based on evidence that was before me,” Gininda replied.
“You wouldn’t apply for a warrant of arrest if the person is not a suspect in a matter.”
Khumalo appears on the docket in count three as a complainant as her cellphone was stolen during the robbery in her mother’s home where her boyfriend was killed.
The legal wrangle in court is whether the singer can be both a complainant and a suspect in the same case.
The state insists that a decision on whether to charge Khumalo will be made in the final stages of the trial.
Five men are on trial for the murder. Meyiwa was killed on 24 October 2014 while enjoying an evening of drinks with his girlfriend, her sister Zandi Khumalo, and friends including Longwe Thwala, the son of legendary music producer Chicco Sello Thwala.
Detectives suspect Meyiwa’s death was a contract killing ordered by Khumalo.
Pictured above: Kelly Khumalo recently released new music, but even die-hard fans are divided because of her involvement in the Senzo case.
Source: @kellykhumaloza Source: Instagram
