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Time between when Meyiwa was shot and first forensic expert arriving on scene under scrutiny

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During Sergeant Thabo Mosia’s cross-examination in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, the amount of time between the time Senzo Meyiwa was shot and the time the first forensic expert arrived on the scene was called into question.

According to Mosia’s testimony, he received a call from Brigadier Ndlovu, who informed him of a shooting incident that had taken place around 20h00 on the 26th of October in 2014, at a house in Vosloorus involving former the Bafana Bafana goalkeeper. Mosia says he didn’t receive the crime scene address from Ndlovu and had to go past the police station to get the address.

According to Mosia, he arrived at the scene 20 minutes after midnight, about four hours after the shooting had taken place.

Asked whether the amount of time taken to respond to the scene was reasonable, Mosia said, “The problem can be that, after the incident most people in the house concentrated on saving the victim’s life before I could receive the call.”

“Who said that to you, that the people were still trying to save the victim’s life before they could call you?,” asked Advocate Malesela Teffo for accused No.: 1 to 4.

“No, it was my discretion.”

Asked who exactly was trying to save Meyiwa’s life on the scene, Mosia says he was not told.  

The originality of the information Mosia has also been questioned.

Mosia, who regards himself as an expert in the field of forensic with 16 years of experience, says he didn’t interview anyone in the house but relied on the information of Brigadier Ndlovu who was the senior of police officers who were on the scene.

“According to information I got, two African males (arrived). One entered while the other remained outside. The suspected in the house demanded money, a scuffle in the kitchen ensued, and(Kelly) Khumalo ran to the bedroom. The suspect tried to push open the door. During the scuffle a shot went off and the suspect fled the scene,” says Mosia.

Mosia says, “I think the information he (Ndlovu) gave to me, he received the information on his arrival. I think so.” 

“The only information I usually seek (when I arrived at a crime scene), is the summary of incident and the time it happened.”

Mosia was not aware of the time Brigadier Ndlovu had arrived on the scene.

Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial: 26 April 2022

Earlier he told the court that when he returned to the crime scene in Vosloorus the day after the night of the murder, he felt “the scene was being protected.”

Mosia, who took to the stand on Monday, is continuing with testimony, giving details of how, what, and who he found at the scene as well as how he collected the evidence.  

One of the first forensic experts to arrive on the scene, he has told the court that he found a projectile (front part of the bullet) on top of the kitchen unit behind the glass jar, indicating that it had changed direction after hitting the kitchen door, bullet jacket, a silver walking stick and hat on the floor, all of which form part of the evidence in the case. 

With 16 years of police experience, Mosia says he specialises in crime scene sketch plans, forensic evidence collection, packaging, processing, and fast-tracking evidence to laboratories.

He has not yet been asked to comment on whether there was any indication the scene had been tampered with before his arrival. 

According to the evidence expected to be led by the state, Meyiwa died as a result of a contact shot that went through his chest and exited at his back, hitting the back of the kitchen door which the former goalminder is believed to have been standing against.  

“A forensic pathologist will prove the death of the deceased is consistent with contact bullet entrance wound, involving the heart and lung. (He will also testify that) the wound at the back is consistent with a bullet exit wound with a downward trajectory,” says Baloyi.  

“But more importantly, we will seek to prove through the ballistic expert that the spent bullet found near the kitchen door matched the firearm that was found in possession of accused No. 3 in a room he occupied with his girlfriend in Malvern.” 

After years of not much progress reported on Meyiwa’s murder case, the NPA in 2020 announced a breakthrough in the investigation when Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonnke Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Ntuli were charged with Meyiwa’s murder, attempted murder of other witnesses, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms, and possession of ammunition. 

On Friday, all five pleaded not guilty to all the charges.   

 

 

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