Cellphone Data Places Accused in Vicinity of Meyiwa Murder on Trial Day

Image Source: From left: Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa, Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli, three of the accused during the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial at the Pretoria High Court on 4 May 2023. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

Published by Everything ZA News

PRETORIA, South Africa – In a key development in the ongoing trial for the murder of former Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa, cellphone data presented in court on Tuesday placed two of the accused near the scene of the crime on the day of the killing.

Pinky Vythilingam, a forensic supervisor for Vodacom, testified that data analysis of a cellphone number linked to accused number 3, Mthobisi Mncube, indicated activity near the George Goch Hostel in Johannesburg shortly after 5 pm on October 26, 2014. This coincides with the timeframe when Meyiwa was fatally shot at a residence in Vosloorus, Gauteng.

Mncube, along with four other individuals, stands accused of murdering Meyiwa in 2014. The prosecution has previously presented evidence of communication between Mncube and accused number 5, Fisokuhle Ntuli, both before and after the murder.

Vythilingam’s analysis revealed internet use by the phone linked to Mncube at Alexandra Park Tower at 6:56 pm on October 26th. This was the last recorded activity on the phone that day. Meyiwa was reportedly declared dead shortly after 9 pm.

The lack of further activity on the phone until the following morning raises questions about the accused’s whereabouts during the critical hours following the crime. The data suggests the phone was either switched off or not in use.

The presented evidence is likely to be a significant point of contention in the trial. The defense is yet to present its case, and how they address this new information will be closely watched.

The brutal killing of Senzo Meyiwa in 2014 sent shockwaves through South Africa. The ongoing trial seeks to deliver justice for the national sporting hero and his family.