Matlala backtracks on payments to Sibiya

Résumé détaillé

Alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala told the Madlanga Commission that admissions of payments to former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack…

Alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala told the Madlanga Commission that his admissions of payments to former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya were made under duress.

He accused investigators from the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) of threatening him into signing a 204 witness statement without reading it. Matlala was offered an eight-year plea deal to turn state witness.

The courts rejected the plea deal and recommended a 12 year prison sentence. Matlala rejected the new sentence and the deal fell through.

Matlala has denied large sections of his witness statement under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission.

Appearing on his second day of testimony, Matlala denied writing paragraphs 56, 57, 58 and 60 of his witness statements in the plea deal. He has accused Idac investigators Dylan Perumal, Brian Padayachee and Suneel Bellochun of being behind the fraudulent statement and of coercion.

Evidence leader Thabang Pooe asked Matlala whether paragraph 56 of the 204 Statement, which reveals his link to former police sergeant Fannie Nkosi, was true. The paragraph states: “Sibiya said to me, in Fannie's presence, that I can see how Fannie is trying to help and I should organise some more money for Fannie as he is going to help to ensure that complaints against Medicare are handled.”

“Just to confirm, it was inserted by the Idac investigators?” Pooe asked.

He also denied Paragraph 57 which states: “After the payment of the R500 000 referred to above and after some passage of time, I was informed by Sibiya that he needed another R500 000. Sibiya told me that the first R500 000 I gave him was handed over to Fannie.”

Commissioner Sandile Khumalo reminded Matlala of witness testimony from Witness A and B who told the commission that Matlala had admitted, during an interrogation, that he had made payments to Sibiya.

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