Funda ngesiZuluBy Palesa Matlala
- A police captain told the Johannesburg High Court that he arrested alleged hitman Musa Kekana and linked him to the 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
- The judge has ruled that accused Nthabiseng Nzama must attend the entire trial after rejecting her request to miss parts of the court proceedings.
The trial involving alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala returns to the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday.
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State witness Captain Phimi Sekgobela is expected to continue giving evidence against Matlala and his four co-accused.
Sekgobela told the court that he arrested alleged hitman Musa Kekana in April 2024.
He said Kekana was arrested after police received information linking him to the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
The officer also told the court that he received a video showing a Hyundai i20 believed to have been used in the murder before the arrest.
Kekana has denied being the driver of that vehicle.
Police also found firearms during his arrest.
Prosecutors say those weapons link Kekana to several attempted assassinations that were allegedly ordered by Matlala.
The court is currently holding what is known as a trial within a trial.
This special hearing will decide whether evidence collected during Kekana's arrest, including the firearms and cellphone records, can be used during the main trial.
The outcome is important because it could affect some of the state's strongest evidence.
Matlala, his wife Tsakani Matlala, Kekana, Tiego Mabusela and Nthabiseng Nzama face a total of 25 charges.
These include attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud and money laundering.
The charges relate to the alleged attempted murders of taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, Matlala's former girlfriend and socialite Tebogo Thobejane, and music producer Seunkie Mokubung.
All the accused have denied the charges.
Another issue before the court involved Nzama.
She asked the judge to excuse her from attending parts of the trial because she said missing her studies every day was affecting her education.
Nzama argued that she only faces three money laundering charges and does not need to hear evidence relating to the attempted murder charges.
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Judge Cassim Moosa rejected her application.
He said the Criminal Procedure Act allows an accused person to be absent from court only in limited circumstances.
The judge also noted that her legal team had not raised the issue during the long pretrial process.
He ruled that Nzama must attend the trial every day like the other accused.
The trial is expected to continue throughout the week as prosecutors lead more evidence against the accused.
