Senzo Meyiwa Murder Trial: Defence Claims State Witness Tampered With Evidence, Questions Credentials

• Advocate Zandile Mshololo claims that the state witness tampered with evidence from the crime scene
• Forensic expert Sergeant Thabo Mosia claims that he kept the evidence in a safe in his office and registered them the next day
• The defence lawyer, Adv Mshololo alleged that the bullet that Mosia found on the kitchen counter was planted there

PRETORIA - The defence lawyer in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial suggested that the state witness tampered with evidence from the crime scene.

Advocate Zandile Mshololo who is representing accused number 5 was cross-examining forensic expert Sergeant Thabo Mosia in the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday 7 June.

Mosia claims that he kept the evidence in a safe in his office and registered them the next day. Adv Mshololo questioned why he opted to keep the crime scene exhibits rather than registering them immediately, SABC News reported.

Read also

Durban school teacher shot in the head in Newlands West, police investigate attempted murder

Mosia claimed that he was too tired at the time and that the manner in which he handled the evidence was not out of regular conduct. He added that exhibits such as guns are rushed to be booked however, ammunition is not.

Mshololo fired back saying Mosia was not tired but that he was tampering with the exhibits. The evidence that was not immediately registered included the bullet projectile which Adv Mshololo told the court was used to link the five accused to the crime. According to Eyewitness News, the defence lawyer alleged that the bullet that Mosia found on the kitchen counter was planted there after he had left the crime scene.

The state witness' credential's were also questioned. Mosia also showed the court proof of his BTech qualification in forensic investigation and said that he completed several advanced crime courses.

Read also

DA Leader John Steenhuisen wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to come clean about Phala Phala farm robbery

SA believes that the state witness is corrupt

Social media users were left angered with Sergeant Thabo Mosia’s conduct while investigating the murder:

Sibusiso Sindane said:

“Mosia is worse than Inspector Clouseau of Pink Panther the accused will probably walk and the police have to do the right thing and do a proper investigation.”

Wilbert Mogale posted:

“Mosia thinks he is immune from arrest simply because he is a state witness… He is going down together with his friends who killed Senzo.”

Khumbu Villa KaSocolo Mlangeni commented:

“Corrupt cops need to be demoted or serve a jail sentence too, the state has been in the case for long enough.”

Haras Muriel Mzilikazi said:

“The truth is coming out and it's stranger than fiction. I am not a law anything, but I can detect a gazillion of loopholes in this case. Yoh.”

Abraham Wolf Fox stated:

“The truth and guilt are written all over Mosia’s face.”

Read also

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Witness statement claims crime scene was cleaned up, says defence team

Dayaan Mkandawire added:

“I think the minister of police at that time knows what was going on. They even took more days at the crime scene to put on a theory that they could give the public.”

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Witness statement claims crime scene was cleaned up, says defence team

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Senzo Meyiwa’s murder scene was cleaned up before police arrived at the house according to the witness statements by three unidentified authors. Details related to how the crime scene was cleaned up were revealed by the defence lawyer for accused number five in the North Gauteng High Court on Monday 6 June. Advocate Zandile Mshololo read out the witness statement while cross-examining state witness forensic expert Sargent Thabo Mosia and said the crime scene was tampered with before he arrived at the scene.

Meyiwa was gunned down at the Vosloorus family home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo. Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are accused of the murder. The statement explains that there was water on the floor near the toilet and Maggie Phiri started removing empty bottles from the house, TimesLIVE reported.

Source: Briefly News