The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial hit another snag again on Wednesday after Defence lawyer Charles Mnisi demanded the disc with all the pictures downloaded from accused Number 3, Mthobisi Mncube’s phone and said he won’t be able to continue with the cross-examination if the photos are not furnished to him.
Mnisi briefly cross-examined state witness and police officer Constable Sizwe Zungu who had placed the five men on trial for Meyiwa’s murder in Vosloorus on the day the Orlando Pirates goalkeeper was killed.
Mnisi then requested to be furnished with all the pictures downloaded on Mncube’s phone in order for him to proceed with the cross-examination.
“I am going to request that we be furnished with the disc that contains all the photos that were downloaded from accused Number 3’s phone, alternatively that we be furnished with accused Number 3’s phone. We will then sort it out how we download those photos.
“This is not from me, it is from Mr Mncube. We request that information because as of now I definitely am not in the position to proceed on his behalf with cross examination of this witness without those photos being made available,” said Mnisi.
The photos downloaded in Mncube’s phone were those of him with dreadlocks, pictures of him with some of the accused and pictures of money and guns which were also displayed in court.
Baloyi proposed that Mnisi proceed with other aspects of his cross-examination while he worked with the defencee lawyers and ensured all the pictures were downloaded from Mncube’s phone
Mnisi rejected the request saying his line of questioning has a sequence.
“The way in which we structure our cross-examination. We just don’t do it haphazardly. It is a sequential thing. We don’t move from one to number seven. We move from one, two, three and we go to four until number seven,” said Mnisi.
The defence lawyers are expected to be furnished with the disc with all the pictures on Thursday.
Last week Mnisi also asked for a postponement in order to be furnished with Zungu’s original witness statement that the court later concluded did not exist.
On Tuesday, defence lawyer Zandile Mshololo also asked for a postponement after her client accused Number 5, Sifisokuhle Ntuli fell ill. The presiding Judge, Ratha Mokgoatleng, ordered that he be taken to a medical doctor and adjourned the case early.
