By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Warrant Officer Thabo Mosia insisted that all the evidence that was collected at the murder scene of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was packed properly and kept safe at all times.
He was under cross-examination at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
Mosia has been questioned about the collection of swabs and exhibits at the Vosloorus crime scene, following the death of Meyiwa. He said that the shooting was reported four hours after it occurred.
This was Mosia’s fourth day of testimony as the State unpacked the footballer’s complex murder in an apparent robbery in Vosloorus in 2014.
Mosia previously conceded that investigations may have been compromised, following a delay in securing the murder scene.
He was the first forensic officer to arrive at the scene to collect evidence that would help piece together how Meyiwa was shot.
Mosia said the clues he collected pointed to several suggestions that the footballer had his back to the kitchen door when he was shot with a revolver.
He also told the court that he believed a total of two shots were fired that night.
He admitted that gunpowder residue tests were not done on the people inside the house with Meyiwa when he was shot, including his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, and several other friends.
While five men are now on trial for the murder, the identity of the shooter remains unknown.
The five accused in the Meyiwa murder trial are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.
They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The concessions made by Mosia also prompted defence lawyers to discredit the credibility of the forensic evidence and investigations.
Mosia told the court during cross-examination on Monday that he had done his best as a witness.
“I’ve been in this witness box for so long in this court. And right now, I can see that I cannot take it. I don’t understand what it is that you want from me?”
The burst of emotion from Mosia came after the defence counsel for accused number four, Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, requested him to provide the court with the crime register from the day of Meyiwa’s death.
This would enable the court to prove the chain of events that Mosia recorded on the day.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, who represents accused five Sfisokuhle Ntuli, also asked Mosia to furnish the court with the case numbers of the other matters that he attended to after leaving the murder scene.
Mosia responded to Mshololo by saying that the Meyiwa trial has made him even sicker.
“I also have supporting evidence from the doctors supporting my ailment, “he said.
But Mshololo told him that she did not believe he attended to any other cases on that day.
“I put it to you Mosia that there weren’t any other cases that you attended to on that day.”
Mosia told the court that he would search for the register and revert back to court.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of ENCA.