The lawyer of accused number three in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial said state ballistic expert Lt-Col Christian Mangena consulted his co-experts to verify his positive results because he was uncertain about them, the court has heard.
Advocate Charles Mnisi, who represents accused number three Mthobisi Prince Mncube, told the state ballistics expert Edward Sereo that when his colleague Mangena approached his colleagues (experts) to verify his results, he did so because he had doubts about his results.
Results are borderline and not clear-cut
Mnisi told Sereo that the ballistic results in the case are borderline and not clear-cut.
Mnisi was cross-examining Sereo at the Pretoria High Court on Thursday. Sereo did a microscopic verification of Mangena’s work. The work linked the gun allegedly found in Mncube’s possession and the bullet found at the crime scene.
Mangena has already testified in the trial on crucial evidence about the alleged murder weapon over a year ago. He testified in August last year, wherein he said the 9mm gun that was found on accused number three Mthobisi Prince Mncube when he was arrested in 2015 for a separate matter is the same one that killed Meyiwa.
In August last year, Mangena testified how he was able to determine this. He said it was after examining the projectile found on the kitchen counter at the crime scene. And also after testing the bullets fired from the gun found in Mncube’s possession.
Main reason why he consulted other experts
“Lt-Col. Mangena consulted four other experts to go confirm his positive results. He did this because he said to himself, he is not sure here. And he went to the first, second and third experts and could still not assure himself.
“He went to a fourth one. And he did this because the results were not clear for him. This was not a clear-cut case. It was a difficult and borderline case,” said Mnisi.
During Sereo’s cross-examination, pictures of Sereo’s findings were beamed on a computer screen in the courtroom for all to see.
Meyiwa, the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, was shot and killed on October 26, 2014. This happened at the house of the mother of his then girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, on the East Rand.
The people who were present in the house during the murder were Kelly, Kelly’s sister Zandile and their mother Gladness. Meyiwa, Zandile’s then boyfriend Longwe Twala, and Meyiwa’s close friends Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Twala were also at the house.
Shot through heart, lung
According to the state indictment, Meyiwa was shot once in the chest while in a standing position. The bullet went through his chest and exited his back, hitting the back of the door behind him. Cause of death was determined to be a bullet that hit his heart and lung.
Accused in the trial are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi and Mncube. Also Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli. They all face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Also possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The trial continues on Friday. A new state witness is expected to take the stand.
