A digital forensic expert who compiled the data from the cellphones of the accused men in the kidnapping case of businesswoman Sandra Munsamy has told the Durban High Court about the software that he used. 

Four men are on trial for kidnapping Munsamy, a financial manager of Crossmoor Transport and XMoor Transport. She was allegedly kidnapped by Lucas John Ndlovu, Dumisani Radebe, Jose Omega Tembe, and Arthur Da Silva Mondlane on May 30, 2019. 

The expert Mthokosizi Nkomo told the court that the Cellebrite software that he used to capture forensic data from cellphones is capable of identifying the owner of one.

Nkomo explained this during cross-examination by defence counsel advocate Joe Wolmarans, who had told him that Cellebrite cannot identify the true owner of a cellphone.

Wolmarans is counsel for Radebe.

During his evidence-in-chief, Nkomo had read out the data he had compiled about the type of cellphones that the accused had and what social media platforms they had on their smartphones. The accused had WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and normal messages.

According to Nkomo, the smartphones had the names of the accused, and their names were also registered on their WhatsApps. 

He said he was given 18 cellphones to check by the investigating officer.

He spent most of the time giving a report on a cellphone model, which social media networks it had for communication, and who it belonged to.  

According to the State, on the day of the incident, Munsamy left the offices of her family company, situated at Newton Road, Mariann Industrial Park in Pinetown, after 5pm. 

As she drove onto the M13 on-ramp from Stapleton Road, she was blocked by a white BMW from which three men alighted. The men were armed with firearms. Radebe, Tembe, and Mondlane were also present at the scene to oversee the kidnapping. 

“She was forced out of her vehicle at gunpoint,” the State said. 

Her Range Rover vehicle was left behind. Munsamy was forced into the boot of a vehicle driven by Tembe. Tembe then traveled with Radebe to his residence in Jakkals Creek in Gauteng, where Munsamy was kept for three nights. 

“Mondlane remained in KwaZulu-Natal until June 1 2019 to facilitate the method of communication for the ransom demands. The accused allegedly demanded $10 million for Munsamy’s safe return to her brother Inderan Naicker,” the State said.

Munsamy was rescued by the police on November 7, 2019, at Wattle Street in Mpumalanga, where Radebe and one other person kept guard of her. “When Radebe’s companion fell ill, he was replaced by Ndlovu,” the State said. 

Additionally, the accused allegedly stole her jewellery worth R57 500, two Apple phones, her handbag, and contents valued at R45 000. 

The matter was postponed to Wednesday for further cross-examination. 

nomonde.zondi@inl.co.za

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