By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Vodacom forensic liaison officer Pinky Vythilingam continued her testimony in the football star Senzo Meyiwa murder trial at the High Court in Pretoria.
During the proceedings, court heard that the cellphone number that accused number 5 Fisokuhle Ntuli is alleged to have used to communicate with his co -accused in the Meyiwa case, is said to be registered by someone else.
Defence counsel Zandile Mshololo has asked Vythilingam to read out a statement by cellphone data analyst Gideon Gouws and clarify who the number alleged to belong to Ntuli is Rica’d under.
“The number was identified by information received from crime intelligence Section 205 it was established that the number had various communications with all of the other suspects. It does reflect as Oscar Hussein. From the period of 2011. It does reflect under Thandaziwe Ndwandwe, “says Vythilingam.
Mshololo asked, “It means that during that period this number was being used by two people, Oscar Hussein and Thandaziwe Ndwandwe?”
Vythilingam answers, “Correct.”
Mthobisi Mncube’s legal representative, Charles Mnisi, during his cross-examination of Vythilingam also focused on the calls between Kelly Khumalo and Ntuli.
It is alleged that Kelly received two phone calls from Ntuli prior to his murder as per the testimony of cellphone data analyst, Colonel Lambertus Steyn.
The first call was made on 2 August 2014, followed by another on 15 October 2014.
The advocate argued the cellphone records compiled by Steyn and Vodacom’s data had “discrepancies”.
“You know when I went through information I got tempted to call Mark Zuckerberg and say to him how does this happen,” he said.
But Vythilingam stated that she could only comment on Vodacom’s set of data as she was familiar with it.
The witness agreed that part of Steyn’s data on the 15 October call did not correspond with the information on her affidavit.
Mnisi suggested that the difference in the data could be a misrepresentation of facts and this constituted fraud.
“Why do I say that? It is because it differs materially from the information that is prepared by an expert who is you… who has painstakingly explained how information is safeguarded in their system.
“How this fraud was committed I don’t know, but with the technology these days everything is possible. [This is] manipulation of information as it is happening here.”
“No comment,” Vythilingam responded.
The defence lawyer alleged that the data was fabricated to make it seem like there was indeed communication between Khumalo and Ntuli.
Meyiwa was shot and killed while visiting Kelly Khumalo at her mother’s residence in Vosloorus on 26 October 2014.
Khumalo ordered the hit on her former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, according to Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya and Bongani Ntanzi’s confession statements.
Sibiya, Mncube, Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Ntuli are on trial for Meyiwa’s murder.
They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicenced firearm, and possession of ammunition.