A forensic investigator has expressed his shock that police and a private contractor were unable to download information from three iPhones seized from controversial attempted murder accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

The police officer, who has been identified only as Witness C and is a certified forensic investigator, testified on Friday about the novelty of the “undownloadable” iPhones at the judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

Witness C said during a search operation at Matlala’s Tshwane home, the team, comprising members of the police’s specialised task force, national intervention unit, and tactical response team, took three iPhones belonging to Matlala and his wife.

The couple gave police permission to download from their iPhones and also seized two Nokia burner phones, as well as five firearms.

Police had searched Matlala’s mansion while searching for kidnapped businessman Jerry Boshoga, who still has not been found.

However, to Witness C’s surprise, the cellphones were not downloadable.

According to his evidence, the seized cellphones were taken to the police’s cybercrimes unit, where they were not downloadable, and also the services of the private sector were engaged, but also failed to download from the cellphones.

“I have sent cellphones to the cybercrimes unit, but this was the first time I encountered a cellphone that is undownloadable,” Witness C testified.

After the police returned the iPhones, the witness explained, Matlala burned them, saying he did not trust the police and thought they might have bugged the devices.

Witness C had earlier given evidence that during their questioning of Matlala, he gave them the name of his IT specialist and friend, crime analyst Calvin Rafadi, and also furnished the police with his cellphone numbers.

Matlala told the team that he assisted Rafadi with his educational qualifications by paying for his tuition fees, and in return, whatever IT-related needs Rafadi would be the person to assist him.

Witness C suggested that maybe Rafadi might have used his expertise to tamper with the cellphones so that they could not be downloadable.

He also testified about a compliance inspection conducted at Matlala’s CAT VIP Security Services in Menlyn, Tshwane, on December 18, 2024, the date agreed with the designated firearms officer (DFO) and the company’s responsible person, identified as Mawethu Sankobe.

Witness C said the DFO observed several irregularities, including permits digitally signed in violation of the Firearms Control Act, and there was no satisfactory answer from Sankobe.

It was then decided that the firearms would be seized due to the irregularities and Matlala was told to bring the spare keys, but he refused to come with them.

The witness stated that the investigating team later learnt that Matlala instituted urgent Gauteng High Court, Pretoria,  proceedings against the search of his house.

In his application, Matlala alleged that Witness C and his commander stole his Rolex watch, his wife Tsakani’s Cartier watch, five firearms, one MacBook, and two iPhones.

He demanded that the aforesaid items were unlawfully seized from him and should be returned, and the police had to engage their legal services in response to the urgent court proceedings instituted against them.

According to Witness C, Matlala lied in court and said it was two iPhones, whereas it was three iPhones that he claimed had been stolen, while the firearms were booked in for ballistic testing, the results of which are still outstanding.

Witness C told the commission that the Rolex and Cartier watches were never seized and asked why any police officer would take a MacBook and not book it but seize iPhones that afford investigators less evidential value.

Matlala later withdrew his urgent High Court application but opened a case in Soweto after the intervention of Deputy National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya.

The commission adjourned early on Friday afternoon as Witness C needs to prepare for his examinations, and he will resume giving evidence on Monday.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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