None of the five men accused of the murder of soccer star Senzo Meyiwa is the owner of the hat that was collected as evidence from the crime scene.
This is according to forensic expert Mmampshedi Masetla, who was testifying before the high court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Masetla told the court that his office conducted DNA tests on the hat and received a mixed DNA.
However, in relation to the reference samples gathered from all the accused, he said Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokozisi Maphisa and Fisokuhle Ntuli have all been excluded as their results do not match those found on the hat.
Masetla, a senior forensic analyst and reporting officer at the SA Police Service biology section of the forensic science laboratory, said if his office does not receive a DNA on a match on a certain section, the donor of the reference sample gets excluded.
He said all 16 regions need to be matched to receive a full profile, which would then confirm a single donor.
“The donors of the following reference samples were excluded as the donors of the DNA that was found on the swab and on the hat,” Masetla said.
“The case file and its contents were in my safe-keeping from the duration of the investigation, from the date of the receipt until completion.”
He confirmed signing his statement on April 22 2022.
The results contradict statements by previous state witnesses including Tumelo Madlala, Longwe Twala, and Gladness Khumalo that the hat belonged to one of the intruders responsible for Senzo Meyiwa’s murder.
The court heard previously that one of the intruders had a gun and after the soccer star was shot, a hat fell as both intruders ran away.
On Monday, Masetla testified that Afro-soul singer Kelly Khumalo was excluded from swab samples that were analysed.
Masetla also excluded suspected murderers Maphisa, Ntuli, and Sibiya after their DNAs were not found on any of the 12 swabs conducted by his office.
He mentioned that swabs were conducted on door handles, furniture, tiles and bathroom of Khumalo’s home, among others.
Meyiwa was gunned down while visiting Kelly’s home in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, on October 26 2014.
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