The high-profile attempted murder trial involving businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and four co-accused continues in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg today, 15 September 2026, as the defence is expected to call a key witness in a crucial trial-within-a-trial.
Accused number one, Musa Kekana, is expected to take the stand and challenge the State’s version of the circumstances surrounding his arrest in April 2024.
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According to EWN, his evidence is central to the defence’s argument that the arrest was unlawful and that evidence obtained afterwards should not be admitted.
Musa Kekana to challenge police’s version of events
Kekana’s lawyer, Riaan Gissing, told the court yesterday that his client would testify and dispute the State’s account of his arrest.
Reports from EWN say the trial-within-a-trial is examining whether police acted lawfully when Kekana was arrested and whether evidence allegedly recovered following his arrest — including firearms said to be connected to the alleged contract killings — can be used against the accused.
The development follows testimony from 13 State witnesses, after which the prosecution provisionally closed its case in the trial-within-a-trial yesterday.
The defence then opened its case, beginning with evidence from technical expert Eric Deysel.
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Recent proceedings
A major issue in recent proceedings has been the movement of police vehicles on the day Kekana was arrested.
A South African Police Service vehicle-tracking expert gave evidence that contradicted aspects of earlier police testimony about where officers and their vehicles were located during the arrest.
The defence has also introduced vehicle-tracking records which it says could challenge the police account of events.
The State previously objected to the late introduction of about 100 pages of tracking records, saying the evidence had effectively caught the prosecution off guard.
Earlier testimony also produced conflicting accounts about whether a white Toyota Fortuner was involved in transporting Kekana after his arrest.
According to IOL, Warrant Officer Johannes Tshepo Phiri maintained that Kekana was placed in the vehicle he was driving, while the defence has challenged the police version using other testimony and vehicle records.
The current trial-within-a-trial is particularly significant because its outcome could determine whether certain evidence gathered following Kekana’s arrest is admissible when the main trial proceeds.
As proceedings resume today, attention is firmly on Kekana’s evidence and whether his testimony will strengthen the defence challenge to the legality of his arrest and the evidence obtained afterwards.
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Featured image: X/@NhlamuloNeay
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