A woman implicated in the murder of baby Zahnia Woodward allegedly told a State witness to get rid of the car used in the drive-by shooting as it “would make trouble for her”.
This was the second witness to implicate suspect Mirriam Johnson, whose son Larry and three other men stand accused of shooting and killing the six-month-old baby in Ocean View in December 2016.
Mirriam, Larry, Christopher September, Tashwill Kriel and Morné May are on trial for murder, attempted murder and obstruction of justice in the Western Cape High Court.
Zahnia was shot through the head while sitting on her father’s lap outside their home in Carnation Street, while waiting for her mom, Cindy Woodward, to arrive from work.
The shooting was caught on surveillance cameras.
Accused 6 in the matter, Simoney Kindo, has already been sentenced to four years after she pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
She told the court last week that Mirriam ordered her to get rid of the white VW Golf “at any cost”.
HAPPY DAYS: Bradley Robyn, Zahnia and Cindy Woodward
Kindo named yesterday’s State witness, Sanza Ndlovu, as one of the people who helped her.
Judge Robert Henney told Ndlovu even if the evidence he presented in court incriminated him, if he testified freely and honestly, he could be indemnified.
The Xhosa-speaking Zimbabwean said he understood and explained that he lived close to Mirriam, whom he referred to Aunt Vula.
Ndlovu said he often did odd jobs for Mirriam and that she asked him to help move a white VW Golf from Luntu Street in Masiphumelele.
He said he admired the “beautiful” car and that it had “kwaai rims”.
“She (Mirriam) was nervous and on her way to work. She told me to move the car from Luntu Street, as it was stuck.
CLOSER LOOK: Presiding Judge Robert Henney did an inspection in loco at the crime scene where Zahnia was killed in Ocean View in December 2016
“When I got to the car, its steering lock was on. We could not move it. I was with Kindo and another woman,” he testified.
He said his cousin had warned him not to touch the car.
“He said the car had a problem in Ocean View and said I must not have anything to do with it. Aunt Vula said the car will make trouble for her if it stays at her house.
“We moved it a few times, under her instruction. I knew something was disturbing her about the car, but she would not say what.”
Asked by prosecutor Liezl Herbst if he had been compensated for helping, he replied: “I went to her and asked her if she was going to give me something, but she really did not want to. She gave me R40.”