Makgotloe defends typos in Swart ballistics report as honest mistake, not attempt to sabotage murder investigation

By Johnathan Paoli

Forensic analyst Captain Laurance Makgotloe has defended the flawed ballistics report he compiled in the murder of engineer Armand Swart, insisting that many of the errors were mere typographical mistakes.

Makgotloe made the comments while appearing before the Madlanga Commission on Monday, where he was led by senior counsel Matthew Chaskalson.

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Chaskalson countered his claim of bone fide mistakes, stressing the result this would have for the court case.

“Now it is certainly arguable that if the defence has done its work closely and has spotted this mistake, they will say when the state has closed its case or when they argue at the end, that none of the weapons seized can be linked to our clients, to the accused, because the evidence bag that the report speaks to is an