Africa-Press – South-Africa. While former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa was shot in the kitchen of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s house, there were no blood stains on the floor, leading to allegations that the crime scene had been cleaned up.
Mthobisi Mncube, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, and Sifiso Ntuli appeared in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday for the continuation of the trial.
During cross-examination, advocate Zandile Mshololo – representing one of accused, Ntuli – questioned the State’s first witness, forensic fieldworker Sergeant Thabo Mosia, about what blood stains were found at the scene.
On Monday, Mosia testified that he had found blood splatter on the wall in the kitchen as well as blood stains in the living room between the television and couch.
Senzo Meyiwa trial: Defence claims woman was seen cleaning house after shooting
Mshololo asked why there were no blood stains on the spot where Meyiwa was allegedly shot. Mosia said he could not answer, but also found it surprising.
Mshololo then referred back to witness statements which she introduced on Monday, when two witnesses said that a woman named Maggie Phiri was seen cleaning the crime scene before police arrived at the house.
The one witness said in her statement, read out by Mshololo:
According to the statements, Phiri was also seen picking up empty beer bottles from the floor. When questioned, she allegedly said she was tidying up before police arrived as she did not want them to see that people had been drinking in the house.
Mshololo said the absence of blood stains on the kitchen floor was because the blood had been cleaned up, as per the statements. She said this was evidence that the crime scene was contaminated.
Mshololo then questioned Mosia about a bullet projectile found behind jars on a countertop in the kitchen.
Mosia previously testified that he found this projectile on the second visit to the crime scene, with the help of the crime scene management task team.
Mosia was the first forensic fieldworker to arrive on the scene. He collected evidence, including a bullet jacket and hat, before leaving the scene, only to return hours later with the task team to continue combing the area for evidence.
“The projectile found on the cupboard was found after the crime scene was contaminated,” Mshololo said.
As he had testified in his evidence in chief, Mosia maintained that he did not believe the crime scene had been tampered with or contaminated.
Mshololo told Mosia to tell the truth as it would “set him free”, but he remained resolute that his answers were truthful. Mshololo then claimed that the projectile found on the countertop was the bullet which linked the accused to the shooting.
She was expected to continue with this line of questioning following the tea break.
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