Murder accused concedes he had dreadlocks when Meyiwa was killed

Advocate Charles Mnisi has conceded that the dreadlocked man unmasked by the state's fourth witness in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial is indeed his client, accused No 3 Mthobisi Prince Mncube.

This was an integral part of the evidence as people who were with the goalkeeper on the night he was fatally shot maintained that a dreadlocked man was one of the two intruders who barged into the Vosloorus home Meyiwa was killed in, demanding cash and cellphones. 

“The person that you are seeing in that photo is indeed accused 3,” Mnisi told the high court in Pretoria where five men are facing trial for Meyiwa's murder. 

Col Lambertus Steyn had last week shown the court a picture of a person he identified as Mncube and pointed out he had dreadlocks in the pictures taken before the murder and on the day of the murder.

Steyn told the court the pictures were downloaded from Mncube’s phone when he was arrested in connection with another matter dating back to 2015, where he was charged for possession of a firearm.

Seemingly wanting clarity, Mnisi probed Steyn on why he said the dreadlocked man in the picture was Mncube.

In response, Steyn said: “Because I can recognise him as the same person.”

When probed further, on how he recognised that it was the same person, he said he was using his “eyes and glasses”.

“You can recognise him by his eyes, nose and everything, it's not that difficult,” he said.

Steyn told the court he was able to establish that it was Mncube through features.

When Mnisi further probed on the same question, Steyn said he was able to recognise that it's the same person through features. “The nose, the lips, the ears ... His nose is the same as in the photos,” he said.

Steyn told the court that he was certain.

When Mnisi questioned him about skin complexion, Steyn said he did not mention the colour of skin for a reason.

“You must keep in my mind that when this photo was taken he was in the sun, he is now in custody.”

In response, Mnisi said: “Are you a dermatologist, sir?”

Further, Mnisi said: “But what you are failing to tell this court in your descriptive narrative is that accused No 3 has got a very distinctive alabaster of skin perfection — his skin complexion nearly looks like yours, except for the fact that you are of Caucasian origin and he is of an African origin.”

Last week, Steyn had told the court that he had established contact between the suspects, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.

He said Ntuli had been in contact with Meyiwa's then girlfriend, songstress Kelly Khumalo, before his murder.

Meanwhile, Ntanzi admitted through his lawyer, Sipho Ramosepele, that a number linked to him by Steyn's analysis belonged to him but said he did not have it in 2014. The number was Rica'd in 2019 at a store in Rustenburg, he said.

Further, Sibiya, who was linked through a number on an iPhone denied he has ever used an iPhone 6. According to Steyn the phone was allegedly found in his possession in prison, which he said might have been in Leeuwkop or Kgosi Mampuru.

He denied he was ever found in possession of an iPhone in prison.

Steyn said that must be followed up with the investigation officer.

The four men and another accused, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, are standing trial for premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition. They have all pleaded not guilty.

It has been nine years since Meyiwa's unresolved murder. He was gunned down in the presence of his girlfriend, Kelly, at her mother's home in Vosloorus. Also present were Kelly's sister Zandile, her boyfriend, Longwe Twala, the women's mother Ntombi Khumalo and two of Meyiwa's friends visiting from KwaZulu-Natal.

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