Ballistic expert Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Mangena has reiterated the marks on the test bullets he fired align with those found from the bullet at the Senzo Meyiwa crime scene.
Colonel Mangena has been under cross-examination at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria where five men are appearing for the 2014 murder of the Bafana Bafana captain.
While Colonel Mangena insists the crime scene bullet was fired from a firearm seized from accused number 3 Mthobisi Mncube – defence counsel Charles Mnisi says their ballistic expert reached a different conclusion.
Mnisi says Colonel Mangena’s findings may be wrong.
“Sir with all due respect and the greatest respect I have for the experts, I’m going to put it to you that you had it all wrong. And that is going to be demonstrated as and when the matter progresses that you had it all wrong,” adds Mnisi.
Mangena was also asked why he did not interview eyewitnesses when he attended the murder scene.
Mnisi: “Did you interview the people who were inside the house with the endeavour to establish what happened?”
Mangena: “When some of them were interviewed I was there. But it was after I compiled my report about a year or so.”
Mnisi: “On the 27th did you interview anyone who was inside the house?”
Mangena: “No.”
Mnisi: “Why not?”
Mangena: “I did the reconstruction … I wanted to see the body first. I reconstructed the incident based on physical evidence. I didn’t take anyone’s statement or version of incident. I based it on evidence at the crime scene.”
Mnisi: “Was interviewing witnesses who were at the scene … was it not the imperative thing to do to reconstruct the scene?”
Mangena: “No I prefer physical evidence on the scene because witnesses can tell you something different.”
Meanwhile, Colonel Mangena denied being biased towards the state as alluded to by advocate Mnisi.
Mangena is expected back on the stand this morning.
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