2 hours ago Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, a cardinal fig successful a large ongoing constabulary graft enquiry successful South Africa, has pleaded blameworthy to corruption, fraud and money-laundering charges arsenic portion of a woody with authorities prosecutors.
He was accused of bribing apical constabulary officials to triumph a 360m rand ($22m; £16.5m) tender for his wellness institution Medicare24 successful 2024.
The plea deal, which has not yet been accepted by the magistrate, would effect successful Matlala giving grounds against "high-ranking officials", authorities advocator Santhos Manilall said.
Police main Gen Fannie Masemola is 1 of those facing charges successful narration to this case. He has denied the charges.
Manilall told the tribunal successful the capital, Pretoria, that it had taken astir 2 months of negotiations to enactment the woody together.
If accepted, it would effect successful Matlala, 49, serving 8 years successful prison.
The state's lawyer said that the "sacrifice" of a much lenient condemnation would beryllium worthy it, arsenic "for the archetypal clip we person an accused who has... fixed america item that we would not person been made alert of".
As portion of the deal, Matlala is required to springiness honorable and frank grounds astatine aboriginal trials. The magistrate astatine the Pretoria tribunal is expected to springiness his ruling connected the plea woody adjacent week.
Matlala, who is besides facing a abstracted execution complaint that helium denies, has been named by a witnesser astatine the corruption enquiry known arsenic the Madlanga Commission arsenic being portion of a drug-trafficking cartel that has managed to penetrate the police.
He has not commented connected this accusation but, giving grounds astatine a parallel parliamentary corruption enquiry past year, denied knowing elder constabulary officers and politicians personally.
Matlala has yet to look astatine the Madlanga Commission.
Witnesses astatine that inquiry, which began past September, person alleged collusion betwixt transgression underworld figures and elder constabulary officials.
It was acceptable up aft elder constabulary serviceman Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged past July that organised transgression groups had infiltrated the government.
English (US)·