New witness to take stand at Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

The state is expected to bring a new witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial on Thursday morning.

This follows the conclusion of the testimony of the first witness to be called, sergeant Thabo Mosia on Wednesday.

Five men are on trial for the murder of the goalkeeper in the High Court in Pretoria. He was shot and killed during an alleged robbery at the home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus in 2014.

Mosia received heavy criticism from the defence for allegedly failing to handle the crime scene as an expert.

Speaking to journalists outside court after his testimony, he conceded that the crime scene was challenging for him.

Mosia says, “What I can say is that the crime scene was very much complicated and for me, it was a bit heavier and that is why I ended up doing the necessary, to call people who can help me. It was going to be very difficult for me to do it alone.”

Tamper with evidence

Mosia says he had no reasons to tamper with evidence as suggested by the defence.

Defence advocate Zandile Mshololo revisited the evidence recovered on the scene, a bullet behind glass jars on the kitchen counter.

He conceded to not taking swabs of the bullet however he could not be drawn into answering whether the bullet links the accused to the crime.

Mshololo says, “The bullet that you recovered on top of the cupboard, is the bullet that is linking the accused with the crime scene. I cannot answer that, analysts can answer that.”

During re-examination, advocate George Baloyi for the state questioned Mosia on the claims of tampering with evidence by the defence. The defence accused Mosia of tampering with the evidence after he submitted the evidence to the forensics sciences laboratory four days after the incident occurred. He maintains his innocence.

Advocate George Baloyi says, “It was put to you that the reason why you handed the exhibits on the 30th of October 2014 is that you were tampering with those exhibits. Did you know who the accused were at that state? No. Would you have any reason to tamper with exhibits as suggested? I did not have any reason to tamper with the evidence.”

He also says the forensics lab did not raise any concerns with what he handed in. “Did you receive any queries from the forensic sciences lab after submitting the exhibits? I did not receive any queries.”

VIDEO | Senzo Meyiwa Trial | Conclusion of Forensic detective Thabo Mosia’s cross-examination:

Additional reporting by Sipho Kekana.