Officer who attended the Senzo Meyiwa crime scene tells court crime scence ‘was being protected’

First state witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial, Thabo Mosia, says when he returned to the crime scene in Volsloorus the day after the night of the murder, he felt “the scene was being protected.” 

Mosia, who took to the stand on Monday, is continuing with testimony in the North Gauteng High Court, where he is giving details of how, what, and who he found at the scene as well as how he collected the evidence. 

Advocate Malesela Teffo, counsel for accused No.: 1 to 4, is currently cross-examining Mosia on the evidence he has given in court since Monday.

Mosia, one of the first police officers on the scene, has told the court that he found a projectile (front part of the bullet) on top of the kitchen unit behind the glass jar, indicating that it had changed direction after hitting the kitchen door, bullet jacket, a silver walking stick and hat on the floor, all of which form part of the evidence in the case. 

Mosia, who boasts a 16-year experience in the police force, has told court that he specialises in crime scene sketch plans, forensic collection of evidence, packaging, processing and the fast tracking of evidence to laboratories. 

He has not yet been asked to comment on whether the was indication the scene had been tampered with before his arrival. 

According to the evidence expected to be led by the state, Meyiwa died as a result of a contact shot that went through his chest and exited at his back, hitting the back of the kitchen door which the former goalminder is believed to have been standing against.  

“A forensic pathologist will prove the death of the deceased is consistent with contact bullet entrance wound, involving the heart and lung. (He will also testify that) the wound at the back is consistent with a bullet exit wound with a downward trajectory,” says Baloyi.  

“But more importantly, we will seek to prove through the ballistic expert that the spent bullet found near the kitchen door matched the firearm that was found in possession of accused No. 3 in a room he occupied with his girlfriend in Malvern.” 

After years of not much progress reported on Meyiwa’s murder case, the NPA, in 2020, announced a breakthrough in the investigation when Muzi Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonnke Maphisa, and Sifisokuhle Ntuli were charged with Meyiwa’s murder, attempted murder of other witnesses, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearms, and possession of ammunition. 

On Friday, all five pleaded not guilty to all the charges.  

Advocate Malesela Teffo has begun cross-examining Mosia.