Meyiwa trial: Court hears about familial connections, friendships between accused
The State led evidence of telephonic communication between some of the accused, years after Meyiwa’s murder but prior to their arrest for the crime.
Senzo Meyiwa trial. Picture: Kgomotso Modise/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court has heard how some of the men accused of murdering Senzo Meyiwa are best friends, and some are relatives.
The defence has spent the day cross-examining a cellphone data analyst on Wednesday.
The State has led evidence of telephonic communication between some of the accused, years after Meyiwa’s murder but prior to their arrest for the crime.
During his cross-examination of Lieutenant-Colonel Gideon Gouws, the lawyer for the third accused, Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo, drew some links between the accused revealing family ties and friendships.
Gouws’ evidence is that there were several calls between the first accused, Muzikawukhulwa Sibiya, and accused number four, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, in 2018.
But Maphisa’s lawyer said that was because Sibiya was Maphisa’s nephew.
The court also heard how there were 48 calls between Maphisa and Mthobisi Mncube, the third accused, between June 2018 and March 2021.
Advocate Nxumalo explained that the two men were best friends.
While Gouws was able to tell what calls were made, when and for how long, he could not access the contents of those phone calls.
The matter resumes on Thursday, with Fisokuhle Ntuli's lawyer expected to cross-examine Gouws.