Meyiwa trial adjourned amid evidence photo clash – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.
The Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has adjourned until Thursday after the defence and the State clashed over photographs being used to cross-examine accused number three, Mthobisi Mncube.
The dispute arose when prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda sought to question Mncube about photographs taken on the day of Meyiwa’s murder, in October 2014, including technical details relating to one of the images.
Defence lawyer Advocate Charles Mnisi objected, arguing that the State was introducing new evidence that had not properly been placed before the court. Mncube testified in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday about his alleged involvement in Meyiwa’s murder. Five men are on trial for the killing of the former Bafana Bafana captain.
Accused number three in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial Mthobisi Mncube maintains that he was with the late Mabhungu Ntuli on the night Meyiwa was shot and killed. Mncube is responding to evidence given by a cell phone and data expert about records of the two men at the High Court… pic.twitter.com/Jc5TK4eD4V
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 15, 2026
Prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda sought to question Mncube about when one of the photographs was taken and the cellphone towers allegedly linked to the image but defence counsel Charles Mnisi objected, arguing that the State was introducing information that had not been properly admitted into evidence.
“There’s no exhibit here at court that contains 700 photos,” says Mnisi.
“No, no, I saw 700-something photos, and I said we must adjourn them. We went for recess,” says Mnisi.
“We went on recess, my lord. I think two weeks, it was around this time of the day. I did go on to read what was requested by the defence, my lord,” says Baloyi.
“But if these 700-something photos were served before this court, they should have been numbered as an exhibit. So what exhibit is that?” says Baloyi.
During cross-examination, Sibanda also presented the court with a recording of proceedings from, 26 October 2020. The State says Mncube told the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court that he was already serving a sentence when he was arrested in connection with Meyiwa’s murder. Mncube denied making such a statement.
“Are you referring to the records that you read to me, yesterday the records that lied saying something that I did not mention?
“So, let me understand you properly, Mncube, Are you saying what I’ve read to you yesterday on page 4 of these proceedings it is lies you’ve never uttered those words,” says Sibanda.
“I never said that I was incarcerated when Senzo Meyiwa died,” says Mncube.
Mnisi also objected to the use of the recording, arguing that statements made during bail proceedings are subject to specific safeguards under the criminal procedure act.
“The act says, in terms of section 235 of the criminal procedure act, the record of the bail proceedings may be admitted, but there is information that relates to the accused which is bail proceedings simply because there are safeguards. Everything that an accused person has said at the magistrates’ court, if it does not fall within the ambits of those safeguards that are mentioned in section 60(11)(b), my lord, then it does not get to be admissible against an accused person,” says Mnisi.
Proceedings were adjourned to allow the legal teams to go through the photographs and address the dispute over the evidence.