The trial within a trial to determine the admissibility of evidence linking accused number one, Musa Kekana, has been postponed once again.
This further delays the main trial involving tender tycoon, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and his wife Tsakani.
The witness currently on the stand is Cpt Alfred Sekgobela, a member of the Tactical Response Team (TRT) who led the operation that resulted in Kekana’s arrest.
During proceedings at the Johannesburg high court on Thursday, Adv Riaan Gissing, legal representative for Kekana, said the state had provided Kekana’s medical records from before and after his arrest on April 17 2024. This follows allegations that Kekana was assaulted by police on the day of his arrest.
Kekana’s assault claims disputed
It was further revealed in court that Kekana claims police brutally assaulted him while covering his face with plastic, demanding information about firearms allegedly used in the murder of Armand Swart.
“If we’d assaulted him, why would we keep the jersey that had blood stains? We would’ve tried to conceal that if we didn’t want to be associated with an assault,” said Sekgobela.
Sekgobela testified that he had no knowledge of what happened after Kekana was discharged from hospital.
Gissing argued that Sekgobela did not follow up on Kekana’s condition because officers had allegedly forced him to admit to committing a crime by assaulting him.
“I do not need to assault a person to get information out of them. I always follow leads,” said Sekgobela.
“It is my further instruction that accused number one made his first appearance in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court on April 22, 2024 and he was legally represented,” Gissing further told the court.
“Okay,” Sekgobela responded.
Gissing also read from an Edenvale Hospital report compiled when Kekana was admitted. The report states that Kekana alleged he had been assaulted by police.
“The allegation that he was assaulted and tortured was already raised on the 17th April 2024”
“We did not assault him,” Sekgobela said.
The matter has been postponed to Friday, when the defence is expected to continue with its cross-examination of Sekgobela.
- The trial to decide the admissibility of evidence against Musa Kekana has been postponed again, delaying the main trial involving Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and his wife Tsakani.
- Cpt Alfred Sekgobela of the Tactical Response Team, who led the operation arresting Kekana, is currently testifying.
- Kekana alleges police assaulted him during his arrest on April 17, 2024, including covering his face with plastic to force a confession regarding firearms linked to a murder.
- Sekgobela denies the assault claims, citing evidence such as a blood-stained jersey that police did not attempt to conceal.
- The court session was adjourned to Friday to continue the defense's cross-examination of Sekgobela.
It was further revealed in court that Kekana claims police brutally assaulted him while covering his face with plastic, demanding information about firearms allegedly used in the murder of
"If we’d assaulted him, why would we keep the jersey that had blood stains? We would’ve tried to conceal that if we didn’t want to be associated with an assault," said Sekgobela.
Sekgobela testified that he had no knowledge of what happened after Kekana was discharged from hospital.
"I do not need to assault a person to get information out of them. I always follow leads," said Sekgobela.
"It is my further instruction that accused number one made his first appearance in the
"Okay," Sekgobela responded.
"
"We did not assault him," Sekgobela said.
