Forensic officer Thabo Mosia may have neglected the crime scene where Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was killed in 2014, the Pretoria High Court heard on Wednesday.
Mosia, who was the first forensic officer to arrive on the scene told the court that he left the crime scene for two other cases, a business robbery and a case of arson after collecting evidence.
Defence lawyer for accused number five, Zandile Mshololo, grilled the embattled officer questioning why he “prioritised” a business robbery over a murder case to which Mosia testified that he left the scene in the hands of the police.
Mosia asserted in court that although Meyiwa was a well-known star, he treats all his cases the same way and does not prioritise one over another.
Said Mosia: “I know Senzo Meyiwa was a well-known person but I treat my crime scenes the same. It was left in police hands. I left the crime scene because I knew I had already done my duty and was only waiting for the task team to come and process the crime scene.”
According to Mosia, there is nothing wrong with what he did. The embattled officer testified that he was, in fact, on standby in four other stations on the night Meyiwa was killed.
Questioning the veracity of his claims, Tshepo Tshobane, who has taken over as legal counsel for accused number one to four after advocate Malesela Teffo was axed, asked why Mosia would leave a murder scene to attend to crime scenes where no one had been injured. Thobane disputed that Mosia treats all his cases the same way, he said he would bring evidence to show what protocol needs to be followed when one arrives at a crime scene.
“It’s amazing that you treated all crime scenes the same,” Thobane said.
Mosia has been seen contradicting himself in court. He also testified that he collected and placed a hat, which was found at the scene, in a sealed evidence bag. However, Thobane contends that the bag in which Mosia put the hat was not sealed when he left.
Mosial argued that the bag was sealed and that his only mistake was not taking a picture of it but Thobane is convinced that Mosia is protecting himself.
“I put it to you that you are trying to cover up the mistakes you made on the scene,” said Thobane.
Mosia’s credibility has been under scrutiny since June when he revealed in court that he was being guided on how to collect evidence.
Mshololo revealed to the court the pictures of the crime scene and questioned why there were only eight photographs and how the evidence was collected, to which Mosia testified that he was being guided by the late Brigadier Philani Ndlovu.
That led to Mshololo believing that Mosia had failed to execute his job if he needed to be guided while on the scene. Mshololo also questioned Mosia about failing to take photographs of blood stains when he first arrived at the scene.
“Why did you not take pictures the first time you arrived at the scene? Is there anything that prevented you from taking the pics?” she asked.
Mosia responded: “I had to first call the task team management so we can all deliberate in continuing with the evidence.”
The trial continues…
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