'Hoodie suspect looks like you', defence in Meyiwa trial tells cop witness

Defence lawyer Charles Mnisi on Monday suggested a sketch alleged to depict murder suspect Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi could resemble a state witness, police constable Sizwe Skhumbuzo Zungu.

The witness stuck to his evidence, telling the court he had no motive to fabricate evidence against the accused and maintained he was telling the truth.

Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng on Monday ruled state prosecutor George Baloyi can re-examine Zungu on the identikit sketches of two suspected intruders who allegedly entered the Vosloorus home where soccer goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa was fatally shot in October 2014.

The judge rejected the defence teams' argument that it was new evidence being introduced during re-examination.

The identikit sketches of the two alleged intruders were compiled by W/O Amanda Steenkamp.

Zungu told the court the man in the sketch depicted wearing a hoodie was Ntanzi. He said he was certain due to the way he wore his hoodie when he saw him at a Vosloorus hostel on the night of the murder.

Mnisi, however, told Zungu the picture of the alleged second intruder looked like him.

“He looks to me to have similar features as I am looking at you. It is like one says, using eyes of the beholder. To me that picture resembles you, to you it resembles accused number two, to another person it might resemble the man standing next to you,” Mnisi said. 

Zungu said he had seen the identikit pictures in a newspaper. This was when he remembered Ntanzi was wearing a black hoodie and he had changed it when he was at the hostel. 

He said the newspaper report stated the suspects had dreadlocks [Mthobisi Prince Mncube], gold teeth and a moustache. Mnisi is representing Mncube, the alleged triggerman who wore his hair in dreadlocks, according to previous witnesses.

When asked which description stood out, Zungu said the moustache and the hoodie.

Ntanzi's lawyer, Sipho Ramosepele, said his client disputes he had the kind of beard depicted in the sketch.

Zungu was adamant it was Ntanzi, saying he might have cut his beard.

Earlier the defence had argued they were not furnished with the sketches by the prosecution and they should not be referred to the witness as this amounted to new evidence. Baloyi, however, maintained he had furnished all the lawyers with the document.

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