Senzo Meyiwa Trial: Defence Attacks Identification Parade Evidence Against Mncube
The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial heard another heated challenge to the State’s identification evidence as the defence questioned how accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube, was allegedly linked to the gunman who entered the Khumalo home.
The court was taken through evidence relating to an identification parade held on 29 October 2014, just three days after Meyiwa was shot and killed in Vosloorus.
According to the defence, investigators had asked witnesses who were inside the house to identify people who resembled the intruders they had described after the shooting.
The court heard that the identification parade form was accepted as Exhibit E, while photographs from the parade were accepted as Exhibit E1.
The defence focused first on Longwe Twala, who was one of the witnesses called to the identification parade. The court heard that Twala was asked to point out the person or persons he suspected had robbed them, shot and killed Meyiwa.
According to the identification parade record read in court, Twala pointed out person number 11.
The defence then showed photographs of the person Twala had identified and asked Mncube to comment. Mncube told the court that the person did not resemble him at all, saying the person was dark in complexion, had cheekbones and short dreadlocks.
Mncube argued that the person identified by Twala was “just like water and paraffin” when compared with him.
The defence then turned to Zandile Khumalo’s role in the identification parade. The court heard that Zandile also pointed out a person during the parade, identified as number two, who was described in the record as wearing a brown jacket, T-shirt and black jeans.
The defence suggested that the people pointed out at the identification parade did not support Brigadier Bongani Gininda’s narrative that Mncube fitted the description of the gunman.
However, the State objected to the way Gininda’s evidence was being characterised, arguing that Gininda had not relied only on witness descriptions. The State said he had also considered other evidence, including photographs downloaded from a cellphone, ballistic evidence, and other witness statements.
The court also reminded the defence that Gininda was not present at the identification parade and had not personally commented on the people who were pointed out there.
The defence insisted that it was dealing with each piece of evidence step by step, particularly evidence used to suggest that Mncube was the gun-toting intruder.
The matter was adjourned, with the defence expected to continue dealing with the identification evidence.
