By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Forensic officer Thabo Mosia says he did not consider that some of the people in the house on the night that Senzo Meyiwa was killed could be suspects.
This was the third day Mosia testifying in the high-profile trial.
Mosia was the first forensic officer to arrive on the scene to collect evidence to piece together how the footballer was killed in what’s believed to be a botched robbery in 2014.
He has told the court that he believes two shots were fired from the gun that killed Meyiwa.
“When I looked at the one was on the floor, the spot at which the projectile was, and as well as the door, I concluded that it could have been two times that the firearm was discharged.”
He further told the court that based on his findings, he believes a revolver was used to shoot the footballer and not a nine-millimetre pistol.
Mosia’s testimony comes as the conduct of police officers remains in sharp focus, with defence lawyers critical of some of the shortcomings during investigations.
Five men are being tried for the crime.
On Friday Mosia, who was being cross-examined by Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, who represents accused number four, told the High Court in Pretoria that he did not follow up on the trajectory of the bullet found at the Vosloorus home.
“Due to the fact that I now had secondary assistance, we were then able to trace the movement of the bullet, and thereafter we didn’t continue.”
“Would it not have assisted you to trace the movement of the bullet?” probed Nxumalo.
“The investigation that is conducted in the night is not the same as one that is conducted in the day. That is why it’s important that, after I do a preliminary investigation in the night, that I do another one in the day so that I can cover areas that I couldn’t previously,” responded Mosia.
Mosia also pointed out that the evidence suggested that Meyiwa was shot in the kitchen.
“Even when I did my follow up investigations on the exhibits, they led me to that,” he said.
“The kitchen is too small or confined [but] based on my reconstruction of the crime scene, my inference would be that the deceased could have had his back facing the door somewhere towards the centre of the kitchen.”
The officer once again indicated that he did not see any blood droplets by the kitchen door.
“From where the deceased was standing to the door, what approximate distance would you attach to that?” Nxumalo asked.
However, state prosecutor Geaorge Baloyi interjected, saying it was an unfair question posed to Mosia since he was not a ballistic expert.
Going through pictures he explained how he collected the evidence using dry and wet swabs.
During this week’s testimony, Mosia told the court that he was only called out to the scene four hours after Meyiwa had been shot.
He also told the court that no prime residue tests were done on the people who were inside the house when Meyiwa died.
Mosia told the court that, in addition, no fingerprint swabs were also done on any of the doors in the house.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who represents one of the five accused, will begin her cross-examination of Mosia on Monday.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of ENCA.