Ballistic expert, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Mangena said it is possible for the bullet that pierced the chest of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper, Senzo Meyiwa and exited through the back to have no blood because he was shot at close range.
Mangena took the stand at the North Gauteng High court to give evidence about the murder weapon and the ballistic analysis of the gun that fatally wounded Meyiwa.
Meyiwa was shot with a 9mm pistol at close range on 26 October 2014 at the Vosloorus home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo, the court heard.
Mangena linked the firearm that was found in the possession of accused Number 3 Mthobisi Prince Mncube to the star goalkeeper’s murder.
Mncube was arrested in February 2015 for a taxi violence-related case. He was tried and the matter finalised in 2017 when the firearm was scheduled to be destroyed.
But due to a lengthy process there were delays and the same gun was linked to Meyiwa’s murder only in 2020.
Mangena said he found the bullet “recovered from the crime scene was fired from this firearm”.
Baloyi asked Mangena to comment as to why a primer residue test was not done during the investigation and Mangena responded that it would not have assisted in the probe into Meyiwa’s murder.
“The primer residue test depends on the case.All murder cases can’t be examined the same or cannot be investigated the same way. It will depend on the merit of the case and in this case I would think that conducting the primer residue test would not be assisting us with anything,” said Mangena.
State Prosecutor, George Baloyi asked Mangena about Meyiwa’s blood spot that was on the tile on the kitchen wall and Mangena said the blood might have been transported there and was not blood spatter from the wound.
“My Lord, if you look at the bleeding of the deceased, how he was shot, the entrance is at the chest. The exit is at the back and if he starts bleeding he is wearing a vest and a T-shirt. So for blood to be on the crime scene, for blood to start dripping the T-shirt and the vest that he was wearing has to soak in first and there is gravity so blood will be oozing from the wound and it will start flowing downwards.
“So the blood that you see might come from when they were transporting him or somebody touched the blood and then touched the wall. Transferring that blood to the wall. It cannot be related to the wound,” he added.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are on trial charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a license and possession of ammunition.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial continues.
