Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Defence questions why expert conducted further ballistic tests

The defence in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has questioned the rationale behind a ballistics expert conducting additional bullet tests after the initial results proved inconclusive.

On Friday, the defence concluded its cross-examination of Lieutenant-Colonel Christian Mangena in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, ending a grueling week of questioning on the witness stand.

Mangena conducted a crime scene reconstruction and bullet trajectory analysis on 27 October 2014, the day after Meyiwa was fatally shot while visiting his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo, at her mother’s house in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni.

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Two bullet impacts in the kitchen—one on the door leading outside and another on the floor—were identified during this process.

The bullet projectile recovered from the scene matched a 9mm Parabellum pistol linked to the third accused, Mthobisi Mncube, according to Mangena’s findings.

Warrant Officer Cornelius Roelofse examined Mncube’s firearm, which had been confiscated during his arrest for an unrelated murder case.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

In Friday’s trial proceedings, Advocate Zandile Mshololo questioned Mangena about his decision to conduct additional tests when comparing the exhibit bullet with the firearm tests performed by Roelofse.

Mangena explained in his affidavit that while he identified sufficient class characteristics, there were insufficient individual characteristic markings transferred to the bullets by the firearm components during the firing process.

The ballistics expert attributed this to a possible difference in bullet material.

Consequently, he conducted further tests using bullets made from the same material as the exhibit.

“My understanding of these findings mean there was insufficient individual characteristics to give a positive match,” Mshololo said.

READ MORE: ‘Inconclusive also a finding’: Expert defends ballistic test results in Senzo Meyiwa murder trial

While Mangena agreed, the defence lawyer suggested that the witness’s initial test report was therefore negative.

“I wouldn’t say that the class characteristics were negative. The individual characteristics were there, but insufficient for me to say it’s a match.

“That’s why I wanted to shoot additional tests with the correct type of ammunition so I could do further examination,” Mangena replied.

Initial test results inconclusive?

Mshololo noted that variations in bullet material can affect the examination and markings on bullets, a point that Mangena did not contest.

“Why did you take a decision alone to obtain additional tests of the same material as the exhibit bullet because the report was conclusive here? You examined the exhibit, and you have got the findings,” she asked.

The witness, in his response, clarified that conducting additional tests in such cases was standard practice.

“It’s how we normally work. If you shoot the test or you find that the test you are comparing with your bullets are of a different material, we prefer to shoot the correct test where you can do a comparison on similar objects, not different types of objects.”

READ MORE: Longwe Twala ‘visited doctor after shooting himself in the foot during scuffle with Senzo Meyiwa’

When asked why he did not use the same ammunition initially, Mangena explained that Roelofse conducted his tests with PMP full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets, whereas the projectile found at the scene was a copper metal jacket (CMJ) bullet.

“So for me to do a proper investigation, I need the same type of bullet to do a comparison.”

The ballistics expert agreed that the first tests were inconclusive.

“I would say correct; there was no positive match, but it was an inconclusive finding.”

Watch the trial below:

Five murder accused on trial

Five men, including Mncube, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, Fisokuhle Ntuli, and Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, are on trial for Meyiwa’s murder.

The suspects have pleaded not guilty.

They face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of ammunition.

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