The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has been asked to launch an urgent investigation into the police’s political killings task team after two state witnesses in the attempted murder case against businessman Vusi “Cat” Matlala filed complaints, alleging they were coerced, threatened and intimidated into signing false statements that implicate him.
The witnesses are funeral parlour owner Peter Phoko and Matlala’s ex-girlfriend Dora Ledile Papo. Phoko is apparently pivotal to disputing Matlala’s defence that payments of R120 000 from his company to the daughter of one of the alleged hitmen were a loan for a
funeral.
The state claimed the money was connected to an attempted hit on former Muvhango actress Tebogo Thobejane, who survived a shooting in October 2023 in Johannesburg.
Thobejane suspects Matlala was involved in her attack and the murder of whistleblower Gauteng health official Babita Deokaran, who had raised concerns about his company’s tenders at Tembisa Hospital.
Phoko alleged in his June 3 affidavit that he was threatened into signing a false statement on May 22. Phoko said his ordeal began with a call he received from a cop enquiring about a funeral document. The next day, unwell at his girlfriend’s home, he received another call from an officer named Korombi. “He requested to meet me to ‘clear something up’,” Phoko stated.
He said the meeting quickly turned menacing. Two unmarked Mercedes-Benz Vianos arrived, carrying officers, some in balaclavas. They interrogated him about a burial receipt.
“Korombi and [an officer named only as] Sithole requested me to accompany them to the police station so that I could be placed under arrest and charged with murder, attempted murder and kidnapping,” Phoko stated. Though not assaulted, he said, he was terrified. “I was threatened verbally, and I was in fear of being arrested for a crime I did not commit.”
“Sithole began taking my statement by asking me numerous questions and expecting my response to be a ‘yes’. He threatened to arrest me, and because of the threats… I was forced to co-operate and thus made a false statement under duress.”
Phoko, who has a medical condition that prevents him from reading or writing, alleged he signed the false statement under duress.
Papo, with whom Matlala has a child, stated that she was targeted for her knowledge of his personal and business affairs.
In a complaint, filed by KC Reddy Attorneys on her behalf, Papo, accuses officers from the Silverton police station of “unlawful, abusive, and unconstitutional conduct”.
Papo said she was “lured to the police station under false pretences” on May 26, believing she was to provide a statement on child maintenance.
She said the officers told her they “needed an affidavit from me, as Vusimuzi Matlala is scheduled to appear… for a bail application,” she stated.
“Soon after the interview started, it became apparent that they were not interested in obtaining a statement from me…
“They became aggressive and used foul language and started threatening me,” Papo said.
When she asked for her attorney, officers allegedly retorted, “Even if your attorney can come to the station, she would not be allowed to see you.
“They advised me that if I know what is good for me, I will do as they say, failing which … they would arrest me and lock me up. They placed handcuffs on the table in front of me.”
They then confiscated her phone. “They … placed it in a plastic bag and indicated they were confiscating it as evidence. They had a laptop computer and started typing a statement, and some of the things mentioned in there were not correct… I was instructed to sign it, and succumbed to their pressure.”
She was then taken home.
“They started interrogating my domestic worker and forced her to depose an affidavit.”
Her legal team asserts her consti-tutional rights were violated and has demanded Ipid take “all appropriate steps”.
During Matlala’s appearance at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday, the lead investigating officer, Sergeant Hlengiwe Mbele, testified that Matlala has been arrested at least 11 times, although most of the charges were withdrawn.
His record includes charges such as motor vehicle theft (2000 and 2011), housebreaking (2001, 2012, 2013 and 2018), suspected stolen goods (2015), unlawful possession of firearm (2016), and attempted murder (2018).
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said she was unable to comment because the complaints could not be located in their records, saying she would only do so upon receiving their case numbers.
