Vusimuzi Cat Matlala’s relationship with Brown Mogotsi, his elaborate plan to lure his former girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, and the lump payments to some of the accused are among the evidence that the investigating officer has presented in court records.

The State has stated that it has sufficient evidence that Matlala, who has used fraudulent documents and invoices, is a dangerous mastermind who could easily flee South Africa if granted bail.

Matlala appeared on his own for his bail application, which was postponed to Monday, September 8, 2025, as the State plans to oppose his bail application.

The State is relying on the affidavit deposed by the lead investigator, who remains anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter.

“The State seeks to oppose the applicant’s bail application because the applicant is a dangerous criminal who is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and has left a man paralysed in the process on a private jet and has travelled outside South Africa at least seven times. This contributes to suspicion that he is a flight risk; he knows the witnesses in this case and has been communicating with some of the accused,” the State prosecutor said.

The State has also accused the Pretoria-based businessman of having falsified documents, including his ID, said to be an eSwatini ID, as well as a funeral parlour invoice that sought to deceive the State over a fake funeral payment of R100,000 paid to one of the accused’s daughters.

“The most concerning of all is that he has been arrested numerous times for various crimes. Our investigating team has reason to believe that he also falsified an invoice from the funeral parlour dated 2023; the other two invoices are dated 15 May 2025. The significance of this is that the police have managed to seize this receipt book from the funeral parlour used in 2025, while the court has a receipt dated 22 October 2023. Why does this occur in a receipt book for 2025? It was fabricated to support his version of the payment of money. This shows it’s fabricated,” the State alleges.

The State has also alleged that Matlala was in contact with Mogotsi after acquiring two phones, which, during the recent raid at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre, were confiscated by the police.

“Brown Mogotsi attempted to make contact with the applicant. The question is, how did he know he could contact the applicant while in custody? The applicant, with a private jet in Mauritius, is a flight risk with fraudulent documents. He has also made serious allegations which have sought to attack the integrity of the investigating team,” the State further alleges.

Through his legal counsel, Matlala read an affidavit in his defence, stating that he is not a violent person. He also indicated that denying him bail would result in significant losses for his businesses and employees.

With nine children and a collection of cars worth R6 million, Matlala revealed that he can afford R100,000 towards his bail.

On the alleged hit on his former girlfriend, Thobejane, Matlala denied his involvement and said that he only learnt of this alleged attack on social media.

“I would like to place it on record that I am not a violent person, and the offences for which I was convicted do not involve any degree of violence or a threat implicit to other acts… As a South African citizen and a businessman who is easily traceable, as is evident from how easily my arrest was carried out, there is therefore no history that would negatively impact my future conduct,” he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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