By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
The alleged underworld kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s lawyers have requested a postponement for his testimony at the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee, citing poor prison conditions to prepare for the hearing.
Matlala is currently detained at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria for the attempted murder of his former girlfriend, actor Tebogo Thobejane.
The ad hoc committee moved its hearings to the prison this week so that it could hear his evidence.
In a letter to the committee on Tuesday afternoon, Matlala’s lawyers raised concerns about the time constraints as they needed to prepare their client.
“The share amount of documents and affidavits that was provided made it virtually impossible for Matlala to be ready to adduce evidence, coupled with the dire circumstances of his detention with its own shortcomings and restrictions,” the letter read in part.
“Our client has expressed his willingness to participate with the commission and has at all material times engaged and assisted the evidence leaders. At times also with grave difficulty as he does not have access to any documents, laptops and making telephonic contact with [a] person who has some of the documents needed.”
The lawyers requested a response by 3pm on Tuesday, failing which they would file an urgent application to have the evidence postponed until proper consultation had taken place.
In response, Ad hoc committee chair Soviet Lekganyane confirmed that Matlala will testify as planned.
Lekganyane said when they first wrote to Matlala and informed him about testifying at the committee, he was “very, very, willing.”
“We are here this week to feature Matlala in our proceedings, together with his representatives, they are available. The announcement we made is that they requested that we start at 11am tomorrow (Wednesday) which is something not unusual,” he said.
Matlala is expected to give a testify before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, involving claims of criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference in the justice system.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of Parliament.