By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Pretoria High Court heard on Wednesday, that Longwe Twala and Zandile Khumalo, sustained gunshot wounds on the night of Senzo Meyiwa’s murder.
Defence lawyer, Thulani Mngomezulu, made the assertion during the cross-examination of ballistic expert, Chris Mangena.
It was Mangena’s testimony in 2023 that linked the gun found at the home of the third accused, Mthobisi Mncube, and the bullet found at the scene of Meyiwa’s murder.
Meyiwa was killed while visiting his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, at her mother’s house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni on 26 October 2014.
Five men are being tried for the 2014 murder.
During the proceedings, Mngomezulu, representing the first accused, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, argued that Meyiwa was shot with a .38 Special Revolver rather than a 9mm pistol.
Meyiwa’s longtime friend, Tumelo Madlala, had previously testified that the gun used by one of the intruders had a wheel, suggesting it was a revolver.
Mngomezulu claimed that Longwe, who was present at the Khumalo home, was the one who shot Meyiwa, leading to a ballistics test being conducted on his father’s firearm.
Chicco’s 9mm pistol, which did not match the bullets found at the scene, was handed over to the police on 3 November 2014.
“Longwe, according to the evidence of the defence, shot Meyiwa with a 38. Special Revolver,” the lawyer said.
However, Mangena maintained that the only evidence recovered at the crime scene was a 9mm bullet.
Mangena acknowledged that no cartridges were found at the scene.
“It can be that after the shot was fired, there was disturbance of a slide, where the slide couldn’t move backwards to eject the cartridge case. The cartridge case will remain inside the firearm.”
He explained that a gun would be unable to fire if a cartridge were jammed in the chamber.
“You have to cock it so that it can eject and then you can load another one.”
Mangena also said two bullets extracted from the murder scene indicated that only two shots were fired that night.
Mngomezulu informed Mangena that the defence would call a witness to testify that three shots were fired inside the house, not two, to support the accounts given by Madlala, Mthokozisi Thwala and Zandile Khumalo.
He also said, Longwe, shot himself in the foot. This happened when he was in a struggle with Meyiwa on the night he was killed.
He said the witness will testify that one shot hit Zandile on the leg. The other shot fired by Longwe killed Meyiwa, and the other shot penetrated Longwe’s ankle.
Mngomezulu said after shooting himself in the foot, Longwe’s wound became septic. He had to seek medical attention at a private doctor and hospital.This was for the bullet in his ankle to be taken out.
Mangena said he is not aware of any injuries sustained by Longwe at the crime scene.
According to the state indictment, Meyiwa was shot once in the chest while in a standing position. The bullet went through his chest, and exited his back, hitting the back of the door behind him. The cause of death was determined as a bullet which hit his heart and lung.
The trial continues on Thursday with the cross-examination of Mangena by attorney Sipho Ramosepele. He is the lawyer for accused number two Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi.
Sibiya, Ntanzi, Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are charged with the murder. They face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances. Also possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.