Matlala Trial: Court hears details of Kekana’s arrest, medical condition
The Johannesburg High Court has heard further testimony about the arrest of alleged hitman Musa Kekana, as proceedings continue in a trial-within-a-trial to determine whether key evidence can be admitted in the main case against alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his co-accused.
At the centre of the proceedings is a legal dispute over the admissibility of evidence, including firearms, cellphone data and forensic material, which the defence argues was obtained unlawfully.
Tactical Response Team member Captain Phimi Sekgobela returned to the witness stand, detailing the sequence of events following Kekana’s arrest in April 2024. He testified that after Kekana was apprehended, officers searched a Mercedes Viano linked to the accused while taking steps to preserve potential evidence. Kekana was informed of the search and asked to observe the process.
The court also heard that police proceeded to a nearby property with Kekana, where officers requested and were granted access. Sekgobela said Kekana used keys in his possession to allow entry to the premises.
During the operation, Kekana appeared to suffer a medical episode. Sekgobela told the court that the accused began coughing and showed signs of distress, including blood on his clothing.
"I can’t say it’s one of those TB coughs; it was smooth — it was shocking to see blood stains on his shirt. When I see someone coughing up blood, I get worried."
Emergency medical services were called, and paramedics treated Kekana at the scene before transporting him to hospital.
"The paramedics said they needed him to be checked by a doctor to be sure he was fine," Sekgobela said, adding that after treatment, "he looked fine."
The court further heard that clothing worn by Kekana at the time of his arrest — including a mustard-coloured track top — was seized for forensic testing, including possible gunshot residue analysis.
Sekgobela also rejected allegations that Kekana had been assaulted during the arrest. "No," he said when asked whether any force had been used.
However, under cross-examination by defence Advocate Riaan Gissing, several inconsistencies and gaps in Sekgobela’s testimony were brought into focus.
Gissing questioned the accuracy of key information received on the day of the arrest, particularly the address linked to the operation. Sekgobela conceded that he could not clearly recall whether the location was "34th 5th Avenue, 5th Road or 5th Street," stating that he would need to refer to his written statement.
He testified that the information about the address was received at around 7 a.m., at which point it was shared with a colleague, identified as Sheppard, and broadcast over the police radio.
Sekgobela confirmed that he was alone at the time, driving a white, unmarked VW Golf 7 GTI.
Pressed on the origin of the information, Sekgobela declined to reveal his source, telling the court that doing so could endanger the individual’s life. When asked whether the source was an informant or a police officer, he responded that he felt he was being forced to disclose protected information.
Gissing also established that the source had not provided an affidavit, a point Sekgobela confirmed.
The cross-examination has highlighted potential weaknesses in the State’s case, particularly around the reliability and verification of information that led to the arrest and subsequent evidence collection.
The testimony forms part of the State’s effort to demonstrate that proper procedures were followed and that the evidence was lawfully obtained. Kekana’s defence, however, maintains that the arrest was unlawful and is seeking to have the evidence excluded from the main trial.
The trial within a trial continues as the court weighs whether the disputed evidence will be admissible in proceedings against Matlala and his co-accused, who face multiple charges linked to alleged attempted assassinations.
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