South African Police Service (SAPS) National Head of Crime Intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo has told the Madlanga commission that suspended Deputy National Commissioner of Police (crime detection) Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya urged alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to open a false theft case against him.
Khumalo revealed this information on Wednesday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System taking place in Pretoria.
In his testimony on Wednesday, Khumalo told Advocate Adila Hassim SC, the commission’s evidence leader, that on December 6, 2024, police went to the Centurion, Pretoria, house of Matlala to search for kidnapped Pretoria businessman Jerry Boshoga.
Khumalo said after the search and questioning operation at Matlala’s house, police confiscated his five firearms and two iPhone cellphones.
False claims of stolen Rolex
He said Matlala filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to demand the return of items. He was referring to items that police confiscated from him.
“Matlala said police took five of his firearms, two iPhone cellphones, one MacBook, one Rolex watch, and a lady’s watch. He said police stole his watches. It is not true that the police took Matlala’s MacBook, Rolex watch, and the lady’s watch. Police only confiscated his firearms and cellphones. The firearms were taken because the way they were placed in Matlala’s home contravened the Firearms Control Act,” said Khumalo.
He said the matter sat on December 24 2024. The judge in the matter dismissed Matlala’s application due to lack of urgency.
Khumalo said following this, Matlala told police that he is withdrawing his application against the police.
He said a day before the matter sat at the Pretoria High Court, he met former police minister Bheki Cele in Pretoria. Cele told him about a conversation he had with Matlala.
“He [Cele] said Matlala told him that General Sibiya told him to file an affidavit and open a false case against myself and my [SAPS] members that we stole Matlala’s watches and MacBook during the search operation at his house.
Urged by top cop to make false claims
“Cele said Matlala told him that the items [watches and MacBook] were not stolen or taken. And that he is still wearing the Rolex watch that was allegedly taken. Matlala told Cele that Sibiya forced him to file the High Court affidavit stating that police stole his watches and MacBook…,” said Khumalo.
Meanwhile, Boshoga was kidnapped in Centurion in November 2024. Boshoga has been missing for almost a year now. He was last seen in November last year after he said he was going to meet someone in Rooihuiskraal, Centurion
The commission is taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria. It is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The commission continues.
