Two accused in Senzo Meyiwa murder trial deny being friends despite photographic evidence

JOHANNESBURG - Two of the men accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial have denied being friends despite their pictures being found on each other’s phones.

The court is addressing photographic evidence, which the State is using to link the appearance of the alleged intruders with the description given by witnesses.

READ: Focus on photographic evidence in the Meyiwa murder trial

Currently, the defence is cross-examining a digital forensic analyst who downloaded pictures from Bongani Ntanzi’s memory card.

Among the pictures found on Ntanzi’s memory card, by Warrant Officer Lawrence Ndlovu, were two pictures of his co-accused, Muzi Sibiya.

One of the pictures shows Sibiya dressed in a T-shirt that matches the description given by State witness, Constable Sizwe Zungu, who testified that Sibiya wore a red T-shirt on the day.

But Sibiya’s lawyer, Advocate Charles Mnisi, has explained that his client’s picture was not on Ntanzi’s phone because they were friends.

"Accused number 2 was accused number 1’s brother’s friend; this brother is Gwabeni and accused number 2 confirms that he knows him very well."

Addressing Ndlovu, Mnisi said it may have been that when Gwabeni and Ntanzi exchanged phones, his picture found its way onto Ntanzi’s phone.

The defence will continue cross-examining Ndlovu on Thursday morning.