The crime scene expert who went to the house where footballer Senzo Meyiwa was murdered in 2014 complained on Monday the case has taken its toll on his health.
Sgt Thabo Mosia complained in the Pretoria high court during cross-examination by one of the defence lawyers that his health had deteriorated.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, for one of the accused Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, requested Mosia bring the case numbers of other cases he attended on the night Meyiwa was shot.
Mosia testified that after attending the Meyiwa crime scene, he had to leave to attend other cases, returning later.
“I have some dissatisfaction with this court. I have some chronic illness and it is because of this witness box that I got so sick last year for about five months," Mosia said.
"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, I think is too much for me," he said.
Mshololo said she sympathised with Mosia and was requesting the information because he had testified he left the Meyiwa crime scene to attend to other cases.
In response, Mosia said: “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.”
Mshololo suggested there were no cases Mosia had to attend to and he had no reason to leave the crime scene on the night.
The storing of exhibits also came under the spotlight during cross-examination as Mshololo asked how they were stored. She suggested no-one had signed that he kept the exhibits in a safe place.
Mosia disagreed.
"On many occasions I have explained we worked tirelessly on that day and when we got to the office the exhibit clerk was not there and the safest thing to do was to put the exhibits in a lockable safe for safekeeping," he said.
After spending four days in the witness box testifying and being grilled by the defence, Mosia was on Monday excused.
Soon after, his colleague with whom he had investigated the murder scene, fingerprint expert, photographer and draftsman Col Thobeka Mhlahlo took to the stand.
She said on October 27 2014 at 8am, she was requested to attend the crime scene where an alleged shooting incident had taken place.
“On the same day, from 9.10am to 2.30pm, I was at [the scene] Kutlwanong Street in Mzamo section, Vossloorus. I found Sgt Mosia and Lt-Col Zwane who briefed me about the crime scene. We did a first sweep through on the scene and Mosia informed me about the investigation he conducted on the scene on October 26,” she said.
She focused on the photographs and fingerprints investigations.
“I documented the crime scene by means of photographs, rough sketch and crime scene report and also conducted fingerprints investigation,” she said.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are in the dock.
The trial continues.
TimesLIVE
'It's too much now': Cop blames Senzo Meyiwa trial for deteriorating health
Image: Thulani Mbele
The crime scene expert who went to the house where footballer Senzo Meyiwa was murdered in 2014 complained on Monday the case has taken its toll on his health.
Sgt Thabo Mosia complained in the Pretoria high court during cross-examination by one of the defence lawyers that his health had deteriorated.
Advocate Zandile Mshololo, for one of the accused Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, requested Mosia bring the case numbers of other cases he attended on the night Meyiwa was shot.
Mosia testified that after attending the Meyiwa crime scene, he had to leave to attend other cases, returning later.
“I have some dissatisfaction with this court. I have some chronic illness and it is because of this witness box that I got so sick last year for about five months," Mosia said.
"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, I think is too much for me," he said.
Mshololo said she sympathised with Mosia and was requesting the information because he had testified he left the Meyiwa crime scene to attend to other cases.
In response, Mosia said: “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.”
Mshololo suggested there were no cases Mosia had to attend to and he had no reason to leave the crime scene on the night.
The storing of exhibits also came under the spotlight during cross-examination as Mshololo asked how they were stored. She suggested no-one had signed that he kept the exhibits in a safe place.
Mosia disagreed.
"On many occasions I have explained we worked tirelessly on that day and when we got to the office the exhibit clerk was not there and the safest thing to do was to put the exhibits in a lockable safe for safekeeping," he said.
After spending four days in the witness box testifying and being grilled by the defence, Mosia was on Monday excused.
Soon after, his colleague with whom he had investigated the murder scene, fingerprint expert, photographer and draftsman Col Thobeka Mhlahlo took to the stand.
She said on October 27 2014 at 8am, she was requested to attend the crime scene where an alleged shooting incident had taken place.
“On the same day, from 9.10am to 2.30pm, I was at [the scene] Kutlwanong Street in Mzamo section, Vossloorus. I found Sgt Mosia and Lt-Col Zwane who briefed me about the crime scene. We did a first sweep through on the scene and Mosia informed me about the investigation he conducted on the scene on October 26,” she said.
She focused on the photographs and fingerprints investigations.
“I documented the crime scene by means of photographs, rough sketch and crime scene report and also conducted fingerprints investigation,” she said.
Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli are in the dock.
The trial continues.
TimesLIVE
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Those who witnessed Senzo Meyiwa's murder were not treated as suspects, court hears
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