‘Back by popular demand’: Mosia to take the stand again in the Meyiwa murder trial

Crime scene expert, Sgt Thabo Mosia will return to the witness box on Tuesday in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial to iron out issues he has already testified about in court.

This will be a daunting task for Mosia who complained the case had taken its toll on his health. Mosia is a crime scene expert who went to the Vosloorus home where Meyiwa was murdered in 2014.

Having been the first witness to testify in the old trial in April 2022, in the new matter, Mosia took to the stand on August 16, spending a few days being grilled and eventually complained about his health.

 “I have doctor’s papers that support my situation, it’s too much now. I think I won’t be able to recover, my travelling to and from Mpumalanga — is too much for me.” 

“I have met this court halfway. I also should be in the position to present my dissatisfaction before the court that has to do with my health. I have to protect my health,” he had said in court.

He will be taking the stand for the third time.

His recall comes after the defence said there are discrepancies he needs to clarify after the register he used in 2014 to record his work events was finally provided to the court.

Mosia testified that after responding to the crime scene there was an instance where he had to leave the scene to attend other crime scenes, later returning to the scene the following day.

During his cross-examination the defence wanted the case numbers of the cases he had attended, scrutinising the way he had conducted his duties on the night.

The defence also pointed out that he failed to collect crucial evidence.

The defence also alleged that when he processed the crime scene it had already been tampered with.

In one of his statements, Mosia said the murder had been reported four hours late, stating this could have affected the integrity of the scene.

On Monday, the court heard evidence from Peter Jacobus Smuts, a legislative manager in a cash-in-transit company, SBV, who said that the 9mm Parabellum pistol found in possession of Mthobisi Prince Mncube in 2015 was stolen in 2013 during a cash-in-transit heist.

Smuts confirmed that the firearm belonged to the company and was reported stolen in 2013.

Ballistics expert Lt-Col Christian Mangena confirmed that the gun was the one that fired the fatal shot that killed footballer Meyiwa in 2014.

Soon after Smuts, a sangoma Lionel Robert Zwane was called as a witness for the prosecution.

He told the court that he was approached by a Sibiya looking for medicine for luck and later returned for medicine for cleansing of bad omen.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

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