Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: Accused wants his dental examination done by private practitioner
On Tuesday, the court granted the defence the application to have Mthobisi Mncube’s teeth examined to see if he ever had a gold tooth.
Senzo Meyiwa trial. Picture: Kgomotso Modise/Eyewitness News
JOHANESBURG - An accused in the Senzo Meyiwa trial who will be subjected to a dental examination has rejected having it done by a government surgeon, saying he's lost confidence in the state.
On Tuesday, the court granted the defence the application to have Mthobisi Mncube’s teeth examined to see if he ever had a gold tooth.
This is after the State led evidence showing what looked like a gold tooth in one of his old photos.
The State is using this evidence to match Mncube to the description given by witnesses.
Mncube and four others are standing trial for Meyiwa’s 2014 murder.
Now that Mncube has won his bid to have his teeth examined to see if he ever had a gold tooth, the question of who will do the examination remains.
The State told the court that a surgeon from one of its facilities could do the examination, but Mncube has rejected this.
He said on account of the fact that there were so many things that had happened in this trial, he has totally lost confidence in the state machinery, so he would prefer that the court makes a directive that he be seen by a private practitioner who has knowledge.
The court has granted Mnisi a day to determine how much a private dental surgeon would cost and the State has agreed to inquire if they can pay for the examination.