A new witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Chupye Christopher Matlou, has indicated to the Pretoria High Court that accused Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya was possibly in Gauteng when the soccer star was murdered.
NaTIS system evidence
Matlou is an investigator for the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RMTC). He has direct access to the National Administration Traffic Information System (NaTIS).
The traffic information system includes access to names, addresses, contact information, gender, vehicle details, and infringement notices from the road.
He told the court that the system was used to trace timelines in how Sibiya obtained his learner’s licence. The licence was obtained from the Boksburg licence testing centre. This is the Drivers’ Licence Testing Centre (DLTC).
The timelines place Sibiya in Gauteng in 2014. This is disputing previous arguments that the accused was not in the province around the time that Meyiwa was killed in Vosloorus.
System puts Sibiya in Gauteng, not KZN, at time of incident
Sibiya had previously claimed that he was in Nongoma, KwaZulu, between 2013 when he lost his job and 2015. In 2015 he allegedly returned to the province to stay with his uncle in Tembisa.
According to the NaTIS system, Sibiya had registered his address as Sotho Hostel in Vosloorus. The system was live-accessed in court for confirmation.
The extracts generated from NaTIS showed that Sibiya made a personal application for a learner’s licence. This was done at the Brakpan DLTC on July 17, 2013. Here he was approved for the test on July 22, 2014, which he failed at the time.
On the same day, he applied again at the Boksburg DLTC, and finally passed his test on September 15, 2014.
Others dragged into the testimony
The expert also dished out information on infringement notice details linked to accused number five, Fisokuhle Ntuli.
This comes after he received a request email from chief investigator Brigadier Bongani Gininda. The request was for an investigation into a suspect vehicle, and that the findings be documented.
NaTIS records, however, show no information about Bongani Ntanzi’s identity document.
“This means that the accused does not have a learner’s licence, or infringement, or any vehicle registered under his name,” said Matlou.
He also added that the traffic information system does not show any transactions between 2013 and 2014 for accused number 3, Mthobisi Ncube. But it shows that he registered a minibus in 2015 under a Thokoza address.
Judge Mokgoatlheng apologises
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng also highlighted that he could not meet with the Black Lawyers Association (BLA). This after the judge insinuated that black lawyers disrespect courts.
He said he was still a judge in the matter. As such could not meet with any body or persons who would want to discuss matters relating to the case if they were not directly involved.
This comes after Thulani Mngomezulu, a defence lawyer in this matter, did not attend court on Wednesday and failed to send in an apology. With his absence only being noticed in court, Mokgoatlheng said, “Is this how black lawyers behave?”
Mokgoatlheng withdrew his comment on Friday. He apologised to Mngomezulu, the court, and everyone who might have been affected by the comment.
Comments could be offensive
“Me, in reflection and after some thoughts, I admit that my comment could be interpreted as intemperate, ill-advised, ill-considered, and offensive,” said Mokgoatlheng.
“If that is the perception of the accused and their representatives, and persons outside in public, and the BLA, then I want to state that I unreservedly, without any conditions, withdraw the comments that I made on Wednesday afternoon because of the events that played out here,” he added.
He said it was ironic that he was part of the group that conceptualised and formed the BLA in 1977, and that he drafted its constitution.
Mngomezulu has since also provided an apology. He indicated that he had to attend to an urgent payment case. This refers to payment for outstanding school fees and other needs.
