Pretoria – Veteran police forensic expert Sergeant Thabo Johannes Mosia has told the High Court in Pretoria that it was “very strange” for the South African Police Service (SAPS) to have two case dockets and different investigating teams probing the 2014 murder of Bafana Bafana ace goalkeeper Senzo Robert Meyiwa.
Advocate Malesela Daniel Teffo, who represents four of the five men arrested in connection with the murder of Meyiwa, cross-examined Mosia regarding the existence of two case dockets – numbered 375 and 636 – in the ongoing murder investigation almost nine years after the incident.
Teffo asked Mosia: “From your personal experience, for one incident, there are different theories, different investigators. In your experience of 14 years as a forensic expert, or in your whole experience as a police officer – one entity, the SAPS members being teams, one team on one docket, another team on one docket, different theories … is that not unprecedented thing to you?”
Mosia responded: “That is a very strange situation. I have never come across it.”
Teffo retorted: “Very strange. I agree with you, sir. Even myself, I have never come across this”.
In the 636 SAPS docket, which the prosecution is basing the charges against the five arrested men, intruders allegedly entered the Khumalo homestead where Meyiwa was visiting his then girlfriend and, during a robbery, the footballer was shot dead during a scuffle.
However, in the other case docket – 375– the police officers are of the view no intruder entered the homestead and the investigators believe the people who were with Meyiwa in the house must be arrested and charged for the gruesome murder.
“The other theory (contained in docket 375) says it is nonsensical to say people entered the house and killed someone. You have experience. You visited many scenes of crime, not scenes of anti-God. Would I be right to say that you have seen a lot in your career, scenes where people have been shot?” Teffo asked Mosia, who agreed.
Teffo also told the court that the late Major General Philani Ndlovu, who was the senior officer at the Meyiwa murder scene, had deposed of an affidavit contained in docket 375 despite the National Prosecuting Authority issuing a statement earlier, saying there was no affidavit from Ndlovu who was a brigadier in 2014.
Last month, as news of Ndlovu’s death broke, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) issued a statement saying Ndlovu’s death would not have much impact on the Senzo Meyiwa case.
“The NPA takes note of the reports of the passing of Ndlovu, and we express our condolences to his family. With regard to the Meyiwa case, Ndlovu is not regarded as a crucial witness,” North Gauteng regional spokesperson for the director of public prosecutions, Lumka Mahanjana, said at the time.
The death of Ndlovu set tongues wagging, with many social media users alleging that the retired police boss had been poisoned. Others alleged that he fell sick weeks before his passing.
The NPA said Ndlovu’s “role was limited” to his presence at the place of the (Meyiwa murder) incident and the management of the crime scene.
However, Mahanjana said Ndlovu, who has been accused of being part of a cover-up of the 2014 murder, had not provided a statement to investigators.
IOL