Cat Matlala trial: Cop denies assault after alleged hitman ‘coughed blood’ during arrest

A police officer rejected claims that one of the suspects in the attempted murder trial involving alleged mastermind Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was assaulted at the time of arrest. Captain Phimi Alfred Sekgobela, the state’s third witness, returned to the stand on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, before the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, where a trial-within-a-trial is currently under way. The special hearing aims to determine whether contested evidence – related to Musa Kekana’s arrest – can be admitted in the main trial.

Kekana was arrested in Bramley, Johannesburg, hours following the fatal shooting of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, who was killed in a case of mistaken identity on 17 April 2024. Cat Matlala attempted murder trial continues Sekgobela, a tactical response team (TRT) officer, detailed how investigators traced a stolen white Hyundai i20 to Kekana’s residence in Kew. The vehicle had earlier been taken during an armed robbery in January 2024.

Despite Kekana’s denial that he drove the car, earlier testimony from private security officer Christiaan Frederick Sheppard suggested otherwise, with claims that his fingerprints were allegedly recovered from the vehicle. Authorities also discovered firearms inside the car, including an AK-47 allegedly linking him to multiple attempted assassinations. The court heard that Sekgobela had tasked Sheppard with monitoring both the Hyundai i20 and a Mercedes-Benz V-Class – also referred to as a Viano – linked to former police detective Michael Pule Tau.

Both vehicles were believed to be connected to Swart’s murder. According to Sekgobela, Sheppard reported that Kekana arrived at the Kew property driving the Hyundai i20, while the V-Class departed shortly afterward. The police later intercepted the V-Class and arrested Kekana and Tau.

Sekgobela testified that he informed them of their constitutional rights before conducting a search of the vehicle. Items recovered included number plates, cellphones, and a small bag. He maintained that the search was conducted with Kekana’s consent.

“He said he does not have a problem,” Sekgobela told the court on Tuesday. Accused’s health scare After the arrest, officers proceeded to Kekana’s nearby residence. Upon arrival, Kekana – who was handcuffed – opened the gate using a remote control.