Five accused in Meyiwa trial excluded from DNA swabs

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All the five in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial have been excluded from DNA swabs that were taken from the crime scene of the former Orlando Pirates’ goalkeeper’s murder. None of them can even be partially linked or partially excluded according to DNA expert Captain Mmapshedi Masetla, giving testimony at the High Court in Pretoria, on Tuesday morning, on DNA results and comparisons between swabs taken from the scene and DNA profiles of the accused.

Baloyi: Do you only include or exclude. Is there a midpoint, like a partial inclusion?

Masetla: We include and exclude. If we don’t read you in one region we will say no conclusion.

Masetla concludes his evidence.

Ramosepele starts cross-examination.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) October 10, 2023

The five accused, who have pleaded not guilty to all the charges, have also been excluded from the scotch hat that was found on the scene and taken in as an exhibit.

The court has previously heard from the eyewitnesses that the hat had belonged to the alleged shorter intruder who had dreadlocks, carrying a gun.

However, this court has now, through DNA expert Captain Mampshedi Masetla, heard that the hat cannot conclusively be linked to any of the five accused in court.

Masetla has told the court that Ntanzi could be read in 10 out of the 16 DNA swabs, while Mncube could be read in 7 out of 16 and as a result, both could not be conclusively linked since they were not read in all the regions as procedurally required.

“To conclusively link a person as a contributor to a DNA sample, you have t read them in all of the regions. Reading a person in one region doesn’t mean they are a contributor in that sample,” says Masetla.

“Even if you have to read a person in more than one (it’s not enough). You have to read him in all the regions to say they are involved,” he adds.

Masetla says no region is more important than the other, say they attached the importance to all of the regions put together.

“For us to say you are a contributor, you have to be read in all the DNA regions.”

In a bit to amplify the DNA regions both Ntanzi and Mncube could be read in – 10 and 7 out 16 respectively – State Advocate George Baloyi asked if there was a chance of a “midpoint” or “partial inclusion”.

Masetla has rejected this saying if there was no match in one reading, the result would read “not concluded.”

On Monday, Masetla excluded three accused Muzi Sibiya, Mthokosizeni Ntuli and Fisokuhle Ntuli from the DNA swabs collected from the crime scene, raising questions on Mncube and Ntanzi, which have now been dealt with.

Masetla says no region is more important than the other, saying they attach the importance to all of the regions put together.

Masetla: For us, to say you are a contributor you have to be read in all the DNA regions.#SABCNews #SenzoMeyiwatrial #SenzoMeyiwa

— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) October 10, 2023

The forensic expert with 24 years of experience also excluded Kelly Khumalo, Longwe Twala, Mthokozisi Thwala and Tumelo Madlala from the DNA swabs.

Only the DNAs of the deceased, Senzo Meyiwa, Gladness Khumalo and Zandile Khumalo were positively linked to the blood that was found on the floor, the bedroom door handles and toilet handle as well as the Smirnoff bottle, respectively.

Masetla has concluded his evidence in chief and has also concluded brief cross-examinations from Sipho Ramosepele for accused 1 and 2, as well as Advocate Zandile Mshololo for accused 5, while Advocate Charles Mnisi and Advocate Zithulele Nxumalo had no questions.

Senzo Meyiwa murder trial | State expected to clarify with relevance of DNA expert evidence: