By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The cross-examination of retired cellphone data analyst Colonel Lambertus Steyn by the defence concluded at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
Steyn was recalled to the stand to clarify evidence pertaining to communication between one of the accused Fisokuhle Ntuli and Meyiwa’s girlfriend at the time, singer Kelly Khumalo.
Ntuli allegedly called Khumalo on two occassions prior to Meyiwa’s murder on 26 October 2014.
The first call was made on 2 August 2014, followed by another on 15 October 2014.
The defence had raised concern about inconsistencies between Steyn and Vodacom forensic liaison supervisor Pinky Vythilingam’s evidence, accusing state of fabricating their case.’
During proceedings, Ntuli’s legal representative Advocate Zandile Mshololo argued that Khumalo never received a call from a number belonging to her client.
Mshololo maintained that the evidence was inconsistent, particularly concerning the timing of the calls.
“The reason why I am showing you these discrepancies is because I want to show you the level of fabrication that you have committed,” she told the witness.
She accused Steyn of tampering with the cellphone data.
In response, the analyst defended himself, explaining that the information had been processed using a computerised program in the presence of state prosecutor George Baloyi.
“It does not matter if it was done with the Minister of Justice or Judge President, the point that I am making to you is that’s when you started manipulating this information and inserted the number that does not appeared on the Vodacom records,” Mshololo said.
Steyn clarified the data retrieved from the phones had nothing to do with the records from Vodacom.
“My lord, it’s clear to me that she wants to mislead me and the court. I stand by my point, I didn’t change anything on the information of these downloads.”
The analyst also disagreed that Vodacom was the custodian of the call records.
Steyn maintained that the first call Khumalo received was a data call, as she was using BlackBerry’s internet service.
It was heard in court that the second call made to Khumalo was a voice call via airtime.
However, Mshololo argued that such a call could only be made to another BlackBerry user.
She further pointed out that Ntuli did not have a BlackBerry mobile device at the time as he could not afford it.
“That’s according to you,” Steyn replied, adding that it can be correctly assumed that the accused had a BlackBerry.
Steyn stated that the call made to Khumalo’s number ending in 4358 demonstrated that “both parties must have used the same tool to make that transaction”.
The trial is expected to continue tomorrow morning, with the cross examination of the ballistic expert Chris Mangena.
Meyiwa was fatally shot while visiting Khumalo at her mother’s residence in Vosloorus, Gauteng.
Ntuli, Mkhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube and Mthokoziseni Maphisa 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.