Amnesty Hearings — Durban — 2000-07-24

CHAIRPERSON: Good afternoon.  I would like to just thank you very much for making yourself available for this hearing.

UNKNOWN: My pleasure.

CHAIRPERSON: Prof Vanezis, this is a hearing of various amnesty applications, which have been made to the Amnesty Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the subject matter of the amnesty applications, is the death of Ms Ntombi Kubheka, which took place during or about May 1987.
	I would just like to briefly introduce the people to you before we commence.  The Panel consists of the three of us who you can see.  On my left is Mr Ilan Lax, he is an Attorney.   On my right is Ms Francis Bosman, she is an Advocate, and I am Selwyn Miller, I am a Judge.  Appearing for the applicants are Mr Visser, I don't know if you can see him, with his Attorney, Mr Wagener, Mr van der Merwe and Mr Hugo and Mr Nel.  I think he is behind us here.
	Appearing for the victim's family is Mr Wills and appearing for an implicated person is Mr Samuel and the Evidence Leader for the Commission is Ms Thabethe.  Those are the people who would be asking questions.
	Professor, if we could get right into it straight away, unless there is anything that you wish to say before we start?

UNKNOWN: I don't think so, no.

CHAIRPERSON: Professor, would you prefer to take the oath or make an affirmation?

UNKNOWN: I will take the oath.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.  Professor, you have been called as an expert witness who has carried out a crania facial identification on a skull.  Could you start off by please briefly tell us of your qualifications and your  experience in this field, to set up the basis for being called an expert?

UNKNOWN: Yes.  First of all I qualified as a Doctor in 1972 and I have been engaged in the field of forensic pathology since 1974 and during that time I have dealt with many situations where I had to assess skeletal remains.
	During that time, in the 1980's, I developed an interest in facial reconstruction and developed a technique using computerised methodology to do this, in the late 1980's, which since then have been developing and have been improving ever since.  I have also been engaged in other areas in relation to facial identification since the mid-1980's, such as the use of superimposition techniques for examining photographs and overlaying them onto images of skulls, to assess whether they belong to the same person.
	And indeed I have been carrying out research in a number of areas related to facial identification and also the Director of the Human Identification Centre at Glasgow University which was established a few years ago now, initially being in London and then moved up to Glasgow, and where we carried on working in that area, we have been working there ever since.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes thank you.  I see from your report and other documents that we have, that you have written a number of articles in the field as well?

UNKNOWN: Yes, I have written a number of articles and even papers at conferences, both oral and poster and have given advice in previous court cases in this area, which have been accepted by Courts both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, and your academic qualifications are reflected at the base of your report, your short report  that you submitted, is that correct

UNKNOWN: That is correct, yes.

CHAIRPERSON: Yes.   Professor, we have seen the video and we have read your short report, and we have also today been handed an article by, I have forgotten the name, it is Shahrom et al, on facial reconstruction.  I wonder if you could tell us about what you have done in this matter, regarding the skull that is the subject of your video.
	Then, once you have explained to us exactly what you have done, how you arrived at your conclusions and perhaps if you can reiterate them to us, then I will ask various legal representatives if they wish to put any questions to you.