She always grabs headlines for being embroiled in salacious scandals and it has become quite clear that when it rains, it pours for singer Kelly Khumalo. According to sources, the singer has lost money after not securing bookings following some recent lurid revelations in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that paint her as the mastermind behind the murder of her late boyfriend and baby daddy Senzo Meyiwa in October 2014.
It is said that her singing career is hanging by the balance, as gigs are far and few between. Promoters are apparently wary of booking the singer, because of fears of reputational damage after confession statements from accused number one Muzi Sibiya and two Bongani Ntanzi in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial implicated Kelly as the mastermind. Judge Ratha Mokgoathleng ruled in a trial-within-a -trial that the Ntanzi and Sibiya's confession statements were admissable. In the confession statements read in court last month by state witnesses Lieutenant Colonel Moholo Solomon Raphadu Colonel Mhlanganyelwa Mbotho, the two accused said they were briefed that the person who initiated the hit was Kelly who they allege paid R100 000 for the murder.
The source who is also in the music industry said Kelly had a lot of gigs lined up until the revelations in court. "After the startling revelations were made, they shrunk. Promoters don't want to touch her because obviously they know what's going on with the court case. Some of her bookings have been cancelled, because of this drama," revealed a source. "I was booked at the same event with her, but I was shocked to find that she wouldn't be performing anymore, because she was cancelled at the eleventh hour," an artist, who wished to remain anonymous told ZiMoja.They don't want to risk it by having her until she is proven innocent, keeping In mind that Senzo had a huge following, so they also don't want to upset people."
Kelly, who is signed to Universal Music, appears unbothered by the happenings in the court, but deep down she is apparently worried by what this means for her freedom and her career. "She is obviously stressed, but doesn't want to show it, because she knows people want to see her down, because they've been throwing accusations against her for many years," another source says. "She's always painted herself as a victim in throughout this debacle, but things have changed."
SHE COULD STAND IN THE DOCK
Meanwhile, things are becoming more interesting in the case, as the star could be forced to take the stand to tell her side of the story. This as the defence of one of the accused has requested to subpoena the singer so she can answer questions about her alleged involvement in the case. An investigator in the murder case Sergeant Batho Mogola told the court this week during cross-examination by advocate Charles Mnisi, who is representing accused number 3 Mthobisi Mncube that that she does not know why the alleged mastermind behind the killing, who is known to the police, has not been arrested or charged. Mogola testified that according to the investigation and her briefings with the lead investigator, Brigadier Bongani Gininda, all the accused were linked to an alleged mastermind through cellphone analysis. Efforts to solicit a comment from the Empini singer drew a blank, as she didn't revert to questions sent to her, even though she was afforded ample time to do so.
