The State in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has argued that a witness should not be subjected to harsh allegations such as being labeled a “hired gun”.

On Friday, defence counsel Charles Mnisi called cellphone analyst Sergeant Moses Mabasa a hired gun after he confused a memory stick for a memory card.

Sergeant Mabasa has been recalled to the stand at the High Court in Pretoria to testify about photos downloaded from Mthobisi Mncube’s phone memory card.

Five men are on trial for the 2014 murder of the Bafana Bafana captain.

State prosecutor Ronnie Sibanda says there are other ways to refute the witness’s information without making accusations.

Sibanda also requests that the defense be allowed to use their own operator and equipment to present their case independently of the state.

“‘The use of the word hired gun that was also directed to the witness, my Lord, I submit, the witness should be treated with kindness and such allegations cannot be made against the witness. There are other ways to show that the information is not the witness is not correct, other than to make such allegations against the witness, my Lord. You can disagree with the witness, my lord. And then furthermore, the defense has also made a request that they would bring their own operator to assist them with the beaming of the photographs.”