Matlala Recants on Payments to Former Police Commissioner Sibiya

Alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala has recanted his admissions of making payments to former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, stating that he was forced to sign a witness statement under duress. Matlala appeared before the Madlanga Commission, where he testified that investigators from the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) threatened him into signing the statement without allowing him to read it. He claimed that he had not written several paragraphs of the statement, including those that implicated him in making payments to Sibiya.

Matlala's testimony contradicts previous witness statements and affidavits that suggest he had admitted to making payments to Sibiya. Commissioner Sandile Khumalo pointed out that Witness A and B had testified that Matlala had admitted to making payments to Sibiya during an interrogation. Additionally, an affidavit from Mr Dlamini stated that Matlala had volunteered information about paying R500 000 to General Sibiya. Matlala denied that he had made these statements, claiming that he had not read the witness statements before signing them.

Matlala's witness statement was part of a plea deal in the Medicare24 case, which would have seen him receive an eight-year sentence. However, the courts rejected the plea deal and recommended a 12-year prison sentence, which Matlala also rejected. As a result, the deal fell through. Matlala has accused Idac investigators Dylan Perumal, Brian Padayachee, and Suneel Bellochun of coercing him into signing the fraudulent statement.

Under questioning from evidence leader Thabang Pooe, Matlala denied writing paragraphs 56, 57, 58, and 60 of his witness statement. Paragraph 56 states that Sibiya asked him to organise more money for former police sergeant Fannie Nkosi, while paragraph 57 states that Matlala made a second payment of R500 000 to Sibiya. Matlala claimed that these paragraphs were inserted by the Idac investigators and were entirely fabricated.

Commissioner Sisi Baloyi expressed frustration with Matlala's refusal to answer questions about the payments, citing his right not to incriminate himself. Baloyi stated that Matlala's refusal to cooperate was not helpful to the commission. Matlala did concede that he had committed misrepresentation by signing the statement without reading it, but claimed that he had done so under duress.

Matlala provided some context for his interactions with Sibiya, stating that he had made an initial payment of R500 000 to Sibiya for his daughter's wedding in North West province. However, he refused to comment on paragraph 60 of the witness statement, which mentions a second payment of R500 000 to Sibiya for the metropolitan excellence award in Durban. Matlala claimed that he had sponsored the event but had not been a bidder.

The Madlanga Commission will continue to investigate the allegations of corruption and coercion made by Matlala. The commission's findings could have significant implications for the Idac investigators and the broader case against Matlala. Matlala's testimony has raised questions about the reliability of witness statements obtained under duress and the accountability of law enforcement officials.

Key points

• Matlala claims he was coerced into signing a witness statement admitting to payments to former police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.
• Matlala's testimony contradicts previous witness statements and affidavits that suggest he had admitted to making payments to Sibiya.
• The Madlanga Commission will continue to investigate the allegations of corruption and coercion made by Matlala.