Defence claims bullet in Senzo Meyiwa's kitchen was 'planted'

Defence lawyers in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial claimed on Tuesday the bullet found on the crime scene by fingerprint expert and photographer Col Thobeka Mhlahlo was planted.

Charles Mnisi, representing the accused, zoomed in on the bullet while questioning Mhlahlo.

The court earlier heard that a door fragment was found next to the bullet.

“I am going to put it to you that thing you are referring to as a fragment from the door and that bullet which you say you found on the kitchen top — those things were never there. Somebody made it sure ... that those things were put there,” Mnisi said.

However, Mhlahlo was adamant that she did find the projectile, in the presence of forensic officer Thabo Mosia.

Mnisi insisted: “That bullet that was found on the kitchen top, somebody planted it.”

Mhlahlo said she had no knowledge of what Mnisi was speaking about and that at the time she was present at the scene, no-one planted a bullet.

Mnisis said from factual evidence that had already been heard by the court it was evident that “indeed there was interference with that scene.”

Mhlahlo testified that the bullet was discovered by her as she searched together with Mosia and Lt-Col Zwane. This after they noticed the kitchen door was damaged and that the bullet didn't exit the door, so they searched inside the house.

“The door was damaged but there was no hole that leads outside,” she said.

Further, she said, the bullet head found was put into a brown envelope and marked exhibit 1, after which it was packaged by Mosia.

Concluding his cross-examination, Mnisi said at the end, he should call a forensics science laboratory expert to unpack the processes followed when exhibits are being attended at crime scenes.

“In the interest of justice and to enable this court to come to a just and reputable finding, I am going to make an application that at the end of it all, that is after the state, after the defence are done with the calling of their witnesses, that the court should exercise its discretion in a judicious manner and consider to call an expert from the forensics science laboratory to come and unpack the processes that are followed when exhibits are being attended to at the scene of a crime,” he said.

The trial continues on Wednesday.

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