Cat Matlala trial: Court hears of ‘hospital threat’ as defence challenges alleged hitman’s discharge
· Citizen
Security concerns surrounding the hospitalisation of Musa Kekana came under the spotlight in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, with a former police station commander explaining why he wanted the accused removed from the medical facility.
Colonel Owen John King, the former commander of the Bramley police station, took the witness stand on Monday, 7 September 2026, as proceedings continued in the attempted murder matter involving alleged mastermind Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his four co-accused.
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King’s evidence formed part of a trial-within-a-trial concerning evidence obtained following Kekana’s arrest on 17 April 2024.
Musa Kekana arrest
Kekana was apprehended by police in Johannesburg, just hours after the fatal shooting of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
The state wants the court to admit cellphone records and statements in which Kekana allegedly made admissions following his arrest.
Kekana has disputed the manner in which police dealt with him, alleging that he was assaulted.
The police have rejected these allegations.
Earlier proceedings heard that Kekana was taken to Edenvale Hospital after he began coughing blood while police were at his residence in Kew.
The court also heard that he had been admitted to hospital on 4 March 2024 as a result of an “alcohol and cocaine overdose”.
Cat Matlala attempted murder trial continues
King told the court on Monday that he travelled to Edenvale Hospital on 20 April 2024 after receiving information that raised safety concerns.
At the time, Sergeant Elvis Raseala and another police officer were guarding Kekana.
The witness testified that, after arriving at the hospital, he asked medical staff to put him in contact with a doctor he did not know.
“I never met the doctor, but the person on the other end of the line was a female and had an accent of someone that was not from South Africa, possibly from further up north in Africa.
“I spoke to her concerning the threat of information,” he said.
According to King, his discussions with the doctor centred on the security implications of having the accused at the hospital.
“When I had a conversation with her, it was about the safety of personnel at the hospital. My concern was that my staff or people at the hospital could be injured.
“My request was that the detainee be discharged.”
The former commander told the court that transferring Kekana to South Rand Hospital was considered, but he was opposed to the option.
King explained that Edenvale Hospital was significantly closer to the Bramley police station, which he stressed would allow officers to respond more quickly if a problem arose.
“Bramley police station is six kilometres away from Edenvale Hospital. South Rand Hospital is 23 kilometres away from Bramley police station.
“If I had any problem concerning that detainee, my responses and planning would be slower. Getting my members to and from that hospital would be slower.”
He, therefore, instructed Raseala to take Kekana back to the police cells after he had been discharged.
Defence questions discharge
Kekana’s lawyer, Riaan Gissing, questioned King about the circumstances surrounding his client’s discharge.
Gissing suggested that Kekana had been removed from hospital at the former commander’s direction despite not being “medically fit” to leave.
“There’s no such document signed by a doctor discharging the suspect,” Gissing said.
King said he could not confirm whether such documentation existed.
“I don’t know that, my Lord.”
The defence also challenged King’s account of his interaction with Raseala.
Gissing told the court that Raseala had disputed seeing or interacting with King on the day in question.
“That’s his view,” the former commander replied.
The evidence concerning an alleged threat at the hospital also drew an objection from Matlala’s lawyer, Anneline van den Heever.
“The issue of a threat is hearsay evidence,” Van den Heever argued.