Senzo Meyiwa trial: Ammunition found on Mthobisi Mncube, same as the one found on crime scene
A ballistic expert who examined the crime scene where the former Bafana Bafana captain was shot, told the court that the ammunition found on accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, was the same kind recovered from the crime scene.
Lieutenant Colonel Chris Mangena took the stand and told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria about his findings on Wednesday.
Mangena said two bullets were fired at the crime scene and Meyiwa was hit with one bullet.
His testimony disputed what Zandile Khumalo and Nthabiseng Mokete said regarding hearing three shots.
Mangena further explained that in June 2020, he got in contact with the lead investigator and was asked if he could determine the shooter by just measuring his height.
"What he wanted to know is that if I look at the bullet projectile and the bullet that hit the deceased, basically can I tell through height, who was the shooter because they have a person of interest? he said.
Mangena said he went to several prisons where he met the accused and measured their height and shoulder length.
Out of the five suspects, he said he only managed to measure four because one of the accused, Fisokuhle Ntuli, refused to be measured.
As part of the investigation, he also checked for possible bullet fragment scars, which might have been caused after the bullet hit the tile.
He asked the accused to take off their shoes and socks.
When he inspected Mncube’s feet, Mncube explained that he has scars on his feet because he used to play soccer when he was young.
Mangena said he found this to be suspicious because he didn’t tell Mncube what he was looking for.
"My lord, I instantly knew that this might be the person of interest because he explained the scars on his feet, and I never told him what I’m looking for," he said.
After the exercise, Mangena said he was unable to determine the shooter by measuring his height.
Meanwhile, Mncube has become a very integral part of the case, as he has been identified as the dreadlocked intruder who carried a gun on the day of the incident.
Witnesses testified that one of the intruders had dreadlocks at the time; this is the same hairstyle Mncube had back in 2014.
The gun that killed Meyiwa was found in Mncube’s possession in 2015.
The gun was also found to have been used in the murder of a taxi boss, Reggie Mohlala, in January 2015, three months after the soccer star died.
Mncube is already serving more than 30 years for Mohlala’s murder.
Meyiwa was killed while visiting his singer girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, at her home in Vosloorus on October 26, 2014.
The five accused in the Meyiwa murder trial are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Mncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Ntuli.
Mangena will continue with his testimony on Thursday.
IOL