Police 'forced' witnesses to name Matlala

Ipid urged to investigate claims of statements made under duress

- By Setumo Stone

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has been asked to launch an urgent investigation into the police's political killings task team after two state witnesses in the attempted murder case against businessman Vusi “Cat” Matlala filed complaints, alleging they were coerced, threatened and intimidated into signing false statements that implicate him.

The witnesses are funeral parlour owner Peter Phoko and Matlala’s ex-girlfriend Dora Ledile Papo. Phoko is apparently pivotal to disputing Matlala’s defence that payments of R120000 from his company to the daughter of one of the alleged hitmen were a loan for a funeral.

The state claimed the money was connected to an attempted hit on former Muvhango actress Tebogo Thobejane, who survived a shooting in October 2023 in Johannesburg.

Thobejane suspects Matlala was involved in her attack and the murder of whistleblower Gauteng health official Babita Deokaran, who had raised concerns about his company’s tenders at Tembisa Hospital.

Phoko alleged in his June 3 affidavit that he was threatened into signing a false statement on May 22. Phoko said his ordeal began with a call he received from a cop enquiring about a funeral document. The next day, unwell at his girlfriend’s home, he received another call from an officer named Korombi. “He requested to meet me to ‘clear something up’,” Phoko stated.