Madlanga Commission | ‘Cat’ Matlala set to testify

With so many tentacles to his story, you'd recall just days ago Vusimusi Cat Matlala backed out of a plea agreement with the state.
He was willing to spills the beans - or at least we understand did so already, in an affidavit about higher ranking police officials allegedly involved in the controversial more than 200 million rand SAPS tender awarded to his company.

But that affidavit which he deposed of and agreeing to turn state witness was in exchange for a lenient sentence after he pleaded guilty to fraud, money laundering and corruption. But now all of that is null and void as Matlala rejected a 12-year prison sentence, walking away from his plea.

The presiding Magistrate felt that the 8-year prison term that the state and defence agreed to in that plea and sentence agreement was too lenient. The magistrate found Matlala had committed the offences out of greed, was the kingpin in the rogue deal, and only wanted to cooperate with investigators - not out of remorse - but because he was in a tight corner.

He will rejoin his 14 co-accused to face a full trial, amongst them is the suspended National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola. With that deal having collapsed and the investigators having to rely on their own investigations could Matlala perhaps be willing to spill at beans at the Madlanga Commission?

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