Matlala Trial | Kekana’s lawyer accuses police of unlawful hospital transfer

A police officer who guarded alleged hitman, Musa Kekana, at Edenvale Hospital has denied unlawfully removing him from the facility and transporting him to Bramley Police Station.

Sergeant, Malekhuthu Raseala, was cross-examined by Kekana’s lawyer, Riaan Gissing, in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday, as the defence continued to challenge the circumstances surrounding Kekana’s removal from hospital and his subsequent movement between police stations.

Gissing put it to Raseala that Kekana should have been taken to South Rand Hospital for further treatment, as recommended by a doctor, instead of being transported to Bramley Police Station.

Raseala told the court that he booked Kekana into the Bramley cells at about 2:30pm before handing him over to the officer responsible for the cells.

He could not account for what happened to Kekana later that night, including whether he was subsequently transferred to Alexandra Police Station, saying he was only working the day shift.

Kekana, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and three other accused face charges linked to the alleged attempted murders of taxi boss, Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, actress Tebogo Thobejane and music producer, Seunkie “DJ Vetteys” Mokubung.

The trial-within-a-trial is examining the circumstances surrounding evidence obtained from Kekana following his arrest.

The matter has been postponed to Monday for the State to finalise logistics around its next witness, who is expected to be the final witness in the trial-within-a-trial.

The witness is travelling from KwaZulu-Natal to testify.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe