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Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Judgment has been reserved in Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala appeal against the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court’s decision to deny him bail.
The defence argued that it is in the interest of justice for Matlala to be granted bail. However, the state opposed the defence’s advances at the High Court in Johannesburg on Monday.
Matlala is the alleged mastermind who paid gunmen, who are his co-accused, in the attempted hit on his former partner, Tebogo Thobejane in October 2023.
He has continuously denied that the money paid to the accused was for the shooting, saying it was for funeral arrangements, as Defence Senior Counsel Laurance Hodes explains.
“There is no direct evidence implicating to appellant in the commission of these offences. It is all suspicion and putting together of a puzzle on circumstantial evidence to fit together perfectly, which is something the trial court should decide.”
The defence has argued that the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court applied the wrong schedule for the matter when deciding bail.
His defence team says the businessman has always cooperated with police and is not a flight risk. Both the defence and the state have conceded that it falls under schedule five and not six as per the lower court.
Possible witness interference
Magistrate Syta Prinsloo had previously maintained that Matlala would interfere with witnesses.
The state has argued that the cellphone which was found in his possession while in prison and his falsified Eswatini identity card prove this.
State prosecutor Elize Le Roux says: “That cellphone in prison is a means to communicate to the outside world and that is a risk to the state’s witness, as it is by the nature of these crimes, these witnesses are in fear of their lives and rightfully so. So, this appellant behaviour is not an impeccable one, he bypassed lawful restrictions of communications.”
Matlala has denied owning a private jet and a boat in Mauritius.
The prosecution insists that the father of nine cannot be trusted and has not always been forthcoming with the court.
“It was indicated that there was evidence of a trust entity established in Mauritius, where the appellant had an interest in it. When the bail application eventually proceeded, he then suddenly disclosed that. It was only when he was caught out that he disclosed that. He cannot be trusted,” adds Le Roux.
The state told the court that once the centralisation of other dockets is complete, Matlala would face eleven charges of attempted murder.
Matlala’s legal team has proposed bail of R100 000 and house arrest.
