Gallo Images via Getty Images
Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, a central figure in a major ongoing police graft inquiry in South Africa, has pleaded guilty to corruption, fraud and money-laundering charges as part of a deal with state prosecutors
He was accused of bribing top police officials to win a 360m rand ($22m; £16.5m) tender for his health company Medicare24 in 2024
The plea deal, which has not yet been accepted by the magistrate, would result in Matlala giving evidence against “high-ranking officials”, state advocate Santhos Manilall said
Police chief Gen Fannie Masemola is one of those facing charges in relation to this case. He has denied the charges
Manilall told the court in the capital, Pretoria, that it had taken almost two months of negotiations to put the deal together
If accepted, it would result in Matlala, 49, serving eight years in prison
The state’s lawyer said that the “sacrifice” of a more lenient sentence would be worth it, as “for the first time we have an accused who has… given us detail that we would not have been made aware of”
As part of the deal, Matlala is required to give honest and frank testimony at future trials
But in a blistering attack, the Democratic Alliance (DA), the junior partner in South Africa’s governing coalition, called the arrangement a “sweetheart deal” and “a betrayal of accountability” that may not result in a successful prosecution
DA justice spokesperson Glynnis Breytenbach said it was evidence of a two-tier justice system, as “one of the country’s most prominent corruption accused is allowed to negotiate what amounts to a discounted sentence”
The magistrate at the Pretoria court is expected to give his ruling on the plea deal next week
Matlala, who is also facing a separate murder charge that he denies, has been named by a witness at the corruption inquiry known as the Madlanga Commission as being part of a drug-trafficking cartel that has managed to penetrate the police
He has not commented on this accusation but, giving evidence at a parallel parliamentary corruption inquiry last year, denied knowing senior police officers and politicians personally
Matlala has yet to appear at the Madlanga Commission
Witnesses at that inquiry, which began last September, have alleged collusion between criminal underworld figures and senior police officials
It was set up after senior police officer Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged last July that organised crime groups had infiltrated the government
Related BBC stories:
Go toBBCAfrica.comfor more news from the African continent
BBC Africa podcasts
Africa
South Africa
