By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Pretoria High Court has granted the defence in the Senzo Meyiwa trial the request to have one of the accused dentally examined to determine whether he ever had a gold tooth.
The defence brought an application for Mthobisi Mncube’s teeth to be examined to determine whether he ever had a gold tooth.
This is after the State led evidence on one of Mncube’s pictures last week, showing what seems to be a gold tooth, in a bid to match descriptions given by some witnesses.
Mncube is the alleged gunman and one of five men accused of the football star’s 2014 murder.
Mncube looks nearly nothing like the description that witnesses gave of one of the alleged intruders who murdered Meyiwa.
His lawyers further argued that they cannot continue with the cross-examination of the cellphone analyst who downloaded the pictures from Mncube’s phone, before they can ascertain from a surgeon if he ever had a gold tooth.
But the State challenged this, saying Mncube’s version on whether he ever had an incision should not hinge on whether he has a dental observation or not.
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng was quick to hand down his order, saying he will give reasons at a later stage.
The court has granted Mncube his request for an examination, but it’s unclear whether the examination will be done by a State surgeon or a private dentist.
Judge Mokgoatlheng adjourned for Thursday, to allow the defence to get the costs of the visit to the dentist.
The trial, which has been going on for 10 years, centres on the 2014 murder of the beloved Meyiwa.
Meyiwa was murdered at the home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s mother in Vosloorus. Five men have been in jail, charged with the murder. They have all pleaded not guilty.