You’d expect the state to have a water-tight case in the high-profile Shrien Dewani trial, but it appears that is not how it’s panning out.

Dewani’s defence team saw a few (and by a few, we mean “gaping”) holes with the examination from the state’s ballistic expert, with the Warrant Officer Pieter Engelbrecht even conceding that mistakes had been made.

The defence team dispute the state’s findings regarding Xolile Mngeni (the shooter), saying that the barrel of the gun touched Anni’s hand when she was in the back seat of the VW Sharan before being shot.

Mngeni, allegedly sitting in the front passenger seat, could not have reached her. His arms were measured and were too short.

Engelbrecht measured Mngeni’s arms the day before he died. He found that his arms were longer than what the defence claimed. But this is because they were measured from his armpits to the end of the fingers. He conceded that he should have measured to Mngeni’s palm as he was holding a gun.

Engelbrecht also attempted to re-enact the crime, but unfortunately used a different vehicle, not exactly adding credibility to the investigation.

Check out the full story on Times Live.