By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Data analyst Gideon Gouws returned to the witness stand for further cross-examination by the defence in the Senzo Meyiwa trial at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.
Bongani Ntanzi, Fisokuhle Ntuli, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya‚ Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa are accused of murdering Meyiwa in Vosloorus in October 2014.
Gouws examined the data extracted from the cellphones of accused two, Ntanzi and accused five, Ntuli.
Both Ntanzi and Ntuli’s phones had two SIM cards.
The defence has sought to poke holes in the testimony of a cellphone analyst after alleged communication between the accused was established.
The analyst, in his evidence-in-chief, testified on Wednesday that the records showed all accused had been in communication with each other.
During the trial proceedings, Ntanzi’s attorney, Sipho Ramosepele questioned Gouws about his evidence before the court.
Ramosepele told the witness that his client denied ever downloading a photograph of a gun on his SD card because his cellphone was in custody of the police.
It was heard in court earlier this week that Ntanzi’s phone were seized while he was detained at a police station in Pretoria in February 2021. But his lawyer claimed that two phones were confiscated immediately after Ntanzi’s arrest on 16 June 2020.
“He never had access to those phones again,” Ramosepele said, before pointing out that the firearm image was downloaded on 4 January 2021.
That will be some time later after his arrest,” the attorney continued.
In his response, Gouws stated that he is unable to comment on Ramospele’s assertions.
“I can’t comment on that. This is according to the data created on that day. Not according to me,” he said.
Ramosepele stated that Ntanzi also denied porting his number to a different network service provider.
Gouws had testified that the accused changed from Vodacom to Cell C although it was unclear when this happened.
The attorney, however, argued that his client maintains that he has always used Vodacom and MTN.
“This was not extracted by me. This was extracted by the download device information embedded on the card itself, “Gouws replied.
Two contact numbers linked to Ntanzi’s co-accused, Sibiya and Ntuli, were found on the Vodacom SIM card.
The linkages were done by Colonel Lambertus Steyn, who testified before the court last year.
The court previously heard how one of the accused, Mncube, also had photos of guns, ammunition, an axe and a panga on his phone.
All five men have pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and the illegal possession of ammunition.