Guns, bullets and money in pictures on phone of 'dreadlocked' Senzo Meyiwa murder accused

A rifle, 9mm pistols, ammunition, an axe, a panga and a lot of money are some of the things that were found in pictures downloaded from the phone of Mthobisi Mncube, one of the men accused of killing football star Senzo Meyiwa.

The state's fifth witness, Sgt Moses Mabasa, on Tuesday showed the Pretoria high court shots he uncovered from the device.

This after Col Lambertus Steyn last week showed the court a picture of a person he identified as Mncube, pointing out he had dreadlocks in pictures taken before Meyiwa was murdered in October 2014. 

This was integral, as those present when the soccer player was killed said one of two intruders who barged into the Vosloorus home of Kelly Khumalo's mother had dreadlocks. The intruders allegedly demanded money and cellphones. 

Steyn told the court the pictures were downloaded from Mncube’s phone when he was arrested in connection with a 2015 matter in which he was charged for possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On Monday, advocate Charles Mnisi conceded the dreadlocked man unmasked by the state's fourth witness in the Meyiwa trial was his client, accused No 3 Mncube.

Mabasa told the court he was asked to extract pictures from Mncube's cellphone or memory card.

He said the information was in a format that could not be tampered with. He took the court through the pictures. 

TimesLIVE is not showing any of the images as a ruling was earlier given that none of the exhibits presented before the court could be published until the trial was concluded. 

One picture, titled “My killing machine”, featured a silver and gold gun Mabasa described as a 9mm pistol. 

Mabasa also went through pictures depicting large sums of money.

In one, thick bundles of R100 notes stacked on top of each other on what appears to be a table can be seen. Another depicts bank notes stashed inside a transparent plastic bag.

Mncube, Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are on trial for Meyiwa's murder.

Meyiwa was shot dead in Khumalo's presence. Also there were her sister Zandile, her boyfriend Longwe Twala, the women's mother Ntombi Khumalo and two of Meyiwa's friends.

The trial continues.

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