The lawyer for Musa Kekana, who is accused number one in the trial of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and four others, has accused police officers involved in his client’s arrest for the 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, of lying about their movements on the day.
This emerged during a trial-within-a-trial at the Johannesburg High Court.
Kekana has accused police of acting unlawfully on the day of his arrest and is fighting to have evidence obtained against him deemed inadmissible in court.
Kekana, Matlala and their three co-accused are charged with conspiring and attempting to kill Matlala’s former partner Tebogo Thobejane, businessman Joe Sibanyoni and music producer Seunkie Mokubung.
The tracker location of the police vehicles which were used on the day Kekana was arrested was thrust into the spotlight.
It was placed under scrutiny by Kekana’s attorney, Riaan Gissing, as he tried to poke holes in the state’s case and prove that the police acted unlawfully and never followed the correct protocols when effecting an arrest.
Since the beginning of the trial-within-a-trial, Kekana has maintained that he was severely assaulted and tortured by police and that he was forced into the boot of a Toyota Fortuner.
However, despite facing an extremely harsh cross-examination, SAPS warrant officer Johannes Phiri maintained that Kekana’s version of events is untrue.
The trial-within-a-trial is expected to resume on Friday morning, with a new witness expected to testify.
Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala Trial | Spotlight on Musa Kekana’s arrest:
