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Wednesday, May 14, 2025
News South Africa

3 simcards used in calls linked to Rodrigues

Fatima Schroeder|Published

Three separate cell numbers were used from a Nokia 3510i handset, which has previously been linked to Dina Rodrigues, the alleged mastermind of the murder of six-month-old baby Jordan Leigh Norton.

This emerged when one of the numbers, an 084 number, had been used to contact baby Jordan's biological father, Neil Wilson, on the day of the murder.

A second, an 072 number, was used to contact her co-accused, Sipho Mfazwe before the murder and the third, also an 072 number, was used to allegedly send threatening SMSes to Wilson after she had been released on bail.

Although evidence in the murder trial on Tuesday by Cell C fraud administrator, Rodney van Niekerk, did not directly link Rodrigues to the calls, the link becomes clear when comparing his evidence to earlier evidence during the trial, as well as evidence in Rodrigues's bail proceedings.

On Tuesday Van Niekerk referred to the billing for the 084 number, and interpreted it to reveal that there had been contact between that number as well as an 082 number and a 073 number on the day that the murder took place.

During the bail proceedings it emerged that the 082 number was that of Wilson, while the 073 number was linked to Mfazwe.

According to Van Niekerk, the 084 number had been used in the Nokia 3510i from December 3, 2003 until June 21 last year.

Although the number was a contract number, he could not give the court the identity of the contract-holder because it had been processed by Nashua - one of the network's service providers.

However, when asked to look at the Vodacom records before the court, Van Niekerk confirmed that the serial number for the handset in which the 084 number had been used on the day of the murder was the same as the handset used for two Vodacom numbers - both 072 numbers.

In previous evidence it emerged that nine calls had been made from the 072 number to an 073 number linked to Mfazwe during the days leading up to the murder.

Previous evidence also indicated that the other 072 number had been used in the same Nokia 3510i handset to send SMSes to Wilson from July 23 last year until August 9.

The state alleges that Rodrigues had sent Wilson SMSes of a threatening nature during this period for which she had been charged with intimidation.

Rodrigues, Mfazwe, Mongezi Bobotyane, Zanethemba Gwada and a 16-year-old, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.

During cross-examination, Rodrigues's counsel John van der Berg asked Van Niekerk to confirm whether cellphone records showed the serial number of a handset from which an SMS had been sent.

Van Niekerk said that this did not happen but added that the simcard details reflected SMSes sent and this could then be linked to the handset used for that simcard.

On Wednesday the state is expected to call a witness from Nashua, who will testify about the identity of the person who had signed the contract.