By: Natasha Archary
Despite assertions from the five men accused of murdering footballer Senzo Meyiwa that they do not know each other, cellphone data has revealed links between them.
On Wednesday, 17 April Lieutenant-Colonel Gideon Gouws, a data analyst found that a cellphone reportedly belonging to one of the accused, Bongani Ntanzi had the numbers of a few of his co-accused saved on it.
The cellphone number of fellow accused, Muzi Sibiya was found on Ntanzi’s phone.
While Ntanzi’s legal representative is expected to challenge Gouws’ findings and argue that his client was arrested without a cellphone in his possesion, Gouws said the picture taken at the time of his arrest in 2020 shows a phone was recorded in his possesion.
“Here it shows that there was communication between all the accused. The numbers that were identified and there was communication between all the cellphones.
The photo was taken in 2020, and it was archived on your annexure 7, there was even a photo taken of him with his ID number, with the serial number of the phone, and it was found in his possession.”
Lieutenant-Colonel Gideon Gouws
Sibiya’s defence attorney, Advocate Thulani Mngomezulu refutes Gouws’ findings, saying there’s no way of verifying that the number in question belongs to his client.
Meyiwa, the former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates footballer was shot and killed in an apparent botched home invasion on 26 October 2014 at his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo’s family home.
A number of Kelly’s family members were inside the house when the five men standing trial for Meyiwa’s murder reportedly barged in demanding valuables and cash.
The men are Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Fisokuhle Nkani Ntuli.
All five men have pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravated circumstances, possession of firearms without a license and possession of ammunition.
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