Meyiwa trial: Judge wants head of Legal Aid board to testify

JOHANNESBURG - The presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa trial wants the head of the Legal Aid board to testify on the funding of a ballistic expert for the defence.

The court was set to hear the cross-examination of Lieutenant Colonel Chris Mangena who linked a gun allegedly found in the possession of one of the accused of the murder of Meyiwa.

But three weeks since the adjournment and eight months since Mangena’s testimony, the defence told the court on Monday morning that they were not ready.

State advocate George Baloyi kicked off proceedings by giving the court an update on the cross-examination of Mangena.

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"About a week ago the defence said they will not be ready to start the cross-examination of Lieutenant Colonel Mangena on account of the fact that they have submitted an application to the Legal Aid Board to finance the cost of the expert."

The defence confirmed this development, but Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng was unimpressed with this update.

"You know what surprises me, the evidence of the ballistic expert was led in August and the case was then postponed on the basis that the defense wants to consult. Eight months this has not been done."

Judge Mokgoatlheng told advocate Baloyi to call the head of the legal aid to testify in court on Tuesday on whether they will be funding the defence’s consultation with their own ballistic expert.