Vodacom’s Forensic Supervisor Pinky Vythilingam has confirmed that a sim swap was done on Senzo Meyiwa’s phone number just a few hours after his murder.
Meyiwa was shot and killed on 26 October 2014 while at Kelly Khumalo’s parental home in Vosloorus on Gauteng’s East Rand.
Vythilingam has been testifying at the High Court in Pretoria where five men are on trial for the murder of the former Bafana Bafana captain.
Retired cellphone data analyst Colonel Lambertus Steyn previously testified that a sim swap had been done on Meyiwa’s phone number. Vodacom’s forensic supervisor, Vythilingam, has confirmed that indeed a swap on Meyiwa’s sim, was made on the 27 October 2014.
“Vodacom received a subpoena in terms of Section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act from SAPS from Brig Gininda on 9 May 2020. The subpoena has been submitted for information relating to the sim swap which was carried out on the 27 October 2014,” Vythilingam testified.
She says the swap was done at Cellucity situated at Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre. The name of the retail agent who facilitated the process was also provided in court. However, Vythilingam – questioned by state prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda, was unable to say who requested the swap.
Sibanda: Are you able to tell whether an ID document was presented? Are you able to tell who did the sim swap?
Vythilingam: Do you mean the person that had requested a swim swap? No, I have no idea.
Sibanda: Now on the new SIM card, were there any calls that were made from the phone or received from that particular SIM card?
Vythilingam: There were 63 successful calls.
In order for one to obtain a new sim, she says there are questions and documents needed such as an ID needed for verification.
Vythilingam: Information is verified before a sim swap.
Sibanda: What type of information is verified?
Vythilingam: If you go to a store you will have to take a copy of your ID, Vodacom cellphone account or any retails account.
According to the state, Meyiwa was declared dead on 26 October 2014 between 21:00 – 21:15. Despite this, the sim swap was done the next morning.
Vythilingam is expected back on the stand on Wednesday as the trial continues.
Today’s court proceedings:
