On Thursday, advocate Charles Mnisi cast doubt on the veracity of the conclusions reached by Lieutenant-Colonel Christian Mangena, the state ballistics expert.
This was in reference to the alleged weapon that was used to kill football player Senzo Meyiwa.
Mnisi, the attorney for the third accused, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, stated during Mangena’s cross-examination on Thursday at the Pretoria High Court that the defence’s ballistic expert’s testimony would show that Mncube’s firearm cannot be connected to the murder.
Mangena has already testified on crucial evidence about the alleged murder weapon a year ago.
Murder weapon
He had testified that the gun found on Mncube when he was arrested in 2015 for a separate matter is the same one that killed Meyiwa.
Mangena said he was able to determine this after examining the projectile found on the kitchen counter at the crime scene and test bullets fired from the gun found in Mncube’s possession.
“The views of our expert are that he can see the markings and characteristics [of Mncube’s firearm] that are there,” said Mnisi.
“But he can confirm that they are not of such a nature that we can link the firearm to the scene bullet.
“There is a grey area with regards to the conclusivity of the results … Would I be justified in saying there is a grey area and loopholes with regards to the final results from the forensic tests?”
Mangena said he conducted tests on Mncube’s firearm by firing eight bullets.
The results showed that Mncube’s firearm matches the bullet found at the crime scene where Meyiwa was killed.
He handed the positive match results to four of his colleagues, who concurred with him.
He said in cases where two initial experts have different results, other experts should be called in.
Mangena said in a scenario where two experts determine the results to be inconclusive and four other experts determine the results to be conclusive and positive, the results of the four are taken as the final results.
Killed at then-girlfriend’s home
Former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates captain and goalkeeper Meyiwa was shot and killed at the home of his then-girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, on October 26, 2014.
The people who were present in the house during the murder were Khumalo, her sister Zandile, their mother Gladness, Zandile’s boyfriend at the time Longwe Twala, and Meyiwa’s close friends Tumelo Madlala and Mthokozisi Twala.
According to the state indictment, Meyiwa was shot once in the chest while in a standing position, and the bullet went through his chest and exited his back, hitting the back of the door behind him.
The cause of death was determined to be a bullet that hit his heart and lung.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence, and possession of ammunition.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
