Forensics officer Warrant Officer Thabo Mosia, who was the first crime scene investigator to arrive at the Senzo Meyiwa murder scene at the Khumalo household in Vosloorus, has told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria he only managed to take eight pictures, as his camera stopped working.
Mosia, who was a Constable at the time of Meyiwa's murder on October 26, 2014, has told the court he arrived at the Khumalo household at 12.20am on October 27, 2014.
He had received a call from Brigadier Philani Ndlovu about a robbery at the crime scene at about 11.45pm.
Vosloorus police had been notified of the shooting when they received a complaint of a shooting in progress at 8.53pm on the evening of October 26, 2014.
On that night, Mosia was on standby for the areas including Vosloorus, Reiger Park, Dawn Park and Zonkizizwe.
He was attached to the Springs local criminal record centre at the time.
During cross-examination by the defence for accused one, advocate Sipho Ramosepele probed why he had only taken eight photographs of the crime scene when he was the first crime scene investigator to arrive at the scene.
“I encountered a challenge. My camera was not taking good quality pictures,” Mosia told the court.
Mosia told the court that he used a crime scene report book to record his observations and he testified that his colleague, Colonel Thobeka Mhlahlo, who arrived later, took 130 photographs at the crime scene thereafter.
“I observed a walking stick at the scene of the crime. I saw a bullet hole on the tiled floor, next to the spot there was a fragmented bullet and a hat.
There was another bullet hole on the kitchen door, as well as the blood between the couch and the TV stand,” he said.
Under examination, Mosia testified that he did not perform a gun residue test on any of the people who were in the house — Kelly Khumalo and her younger sister, Zandile, their mother Ntombi Khumalo (MaKhumalo), Longwe Twala, Meyiwa's friends, Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala, Kelly's then four-year-old son, Christian, and Thingo, her daughter with Meyiwa.
He testified that the gun powder residue can be traced on the hand and on the clothes, but it was only done if there was suspicion that one of the people was involved in the deceased’s death.
He also told the court he was aware the provincial task team was on the way to assist with the crime scene.
He said the task team had relevant equipment to process the scene optimally.
Mosia left the crime scene at 2.40am to attend to another crime scene. The task team had arrived at the scene when he left. He returned to the scene at about 6am.
Mosia told the court that he had undergone an advance crime scene course and has been involved in investigating serious crimes, including murder.
He has testified in the high court twice and has testified in regional courts several times.
Mosia has been a police officer for 17 years and he is now based at the criminal record centre in Secunda stationed at Standerton satellite service point after being promoted in June.
Police officers who attended to the Meyiwa murder scene have come under fire from defence for failing to secure the crime scene.
Sergeant Timothy Mathebula, who was one of the first police officers to respond at the scene, said he only realised they were dealing with a serious crime when he saw Senzo Meyiwa's dead body at the Botshelong Hospital. He had failed to cordon off the crime scene with police tape.
The five accused in the Meyiwa murder trial are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Ncube, Mthokoziseni Ziphozonke Maphisa, and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.
They are facing charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The trial continues.
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