“Do you think we will finish tomorrow? I’m tired, I can’t even think.”

With these words the state's first witness, Sgt Thabo Mosia, summed up his eighth day on the witness box in the trial against five men accused of killing Bafana Bafana star Senzo Meyiwa, in the Pretoria high court.

He put the question to the interpreter after the court adjournment on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Mosia faced a four-hour grilling from two defence advocates who poked holes in his testimony describing what was found at the house in Vosloorus, on the East Rand, where Meyiwa was murdered.

Mosia, who first took the stand on April 25, spent the first hour of the morning facing Adv Malesela Teffo, who questioned him about his knowledge of another docket which suggests that Meyiwa’s girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, is the one who pulled the trigger.

According to Teffo, the docket was opened in January 2019 and suggests that all those who were in the house when Meyiwa was killed should answer for his death.

Teffo told the court that a witness will testify that Khumalo shot Meyiwa by mistake.

“I put it to you that a witness will come and testify that Senzo Robert Meyiwa was shot by Nonhlanhla Kelly Khumalo by mistake. The same eyewitness will testify that the firearm used by Kelly Khumalo came with Longwe Twala and that firearm is a revolver,” Teffo said.

He said a meeting was held at the crime scene before Mosia could arrive where a plan was hatched to make it seem like  Meyiwa had been killed during a robbery.

Mosia replied “no comment” to Teffo's allegations.

Just when Mosia thought it was over as Teffo concluded his cross-examination, Adv Zandile Mshololo for accused number five stepped in with new energy that changed the atmosphere in courtroom GB.

From the start Mshololo warned Mosia that she would not take explanations but straight answers to questions asked.

She asked Mosia why he did not take pictures of the cans that he found in the house when he first arrived on the scene about 20 minutes after midnight.

“I might have been prevented by deciding to call the crime scene management so that they can help me,” Mosia replied.

This response was to be Mosia's only defence to all questions about evidence he allegedly ignored on the scene.

Mosia told the court that as forensic investigators they had to call the provincial task team if they felt the case was “more challenging”.

“It is because of the lack of skill and knowledge,” Mshololo replied.

Mshololo then questioned why Mosia was able to spot the bullet hole in the kitchen door but fail to follow its path  where it ultimately landed in the kitchen unit.

“What caused you not to have seen that exhibit the first time when you arrived? Is there a possibility that that exhibit was planted there?”

Mosia simply replied:  “I cannot comment on that.”

Mosia was also unable to explain why he did not take DNA swabs on the kitchen door, which he had testified was used by intruders to gain access to the house.

“The kitchen door is used mostly by everyone in the house. I took a decision not to take the sample,” he said.

Mosia was then questioned as to whether he was able to protect the integrity of the crime scene during his time at the house.

It was here that he started contradicting himself.

Mosia had testified that he asked the people who were in the house to move into one of the bedrooms to protect the crime scene. But he changed his tune when questioned by Mshololo.

“I asked them to be out of the house for taking of the statements. I removed everyone who was in the house. I remained with Brig Ndlovu,” he said.

As Mshololo’s questioning intensified, Mosia would sit for a few minutes and then stand to ease the pressure on his back.

The courtroom was packed.

Meyiwa was killed at Khumalo’s home in Vosloorus on October 26 2014.

Muzikawukhulelwa Sibiya, Bongani Sandiso Ntanzi, Mthobisi Prince Mncube, Mthokoziseni Maphisa and Sifisokuhle Nkani Ntuli have been charged with his murder. The five face charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of firearms without a licence and possession of ammunition.

Wednesday was the first day that pictures of the crime scene were beamed on a computer screen in court for all to see.

Since the trial began, the defence has been working hard to prove that there are discrepancies in Mosia’s testimony and that the scene which he attended had been contaminated before he arrived.

The trial continues.