Key figure in South African police corruption scandal pleads guilty

A key figure in a major police corruption scandal in South Africa pleaded guilty in a Pretoria court on Thursday to fraud, corruption, and money laundering.

Controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala admitted to paying a senior police officer over $18,000 in exchange for her influencing a lucrative police service tender.

The charges are tied to a nearly $14 million deal for his Medicare24 Tshwane company to provide health and wellness service to the police.

The contract was later cancelled, but not before more than $3 million had been paid out to the company.

If Matlala’s plea deal is approved by the court, it will see him handed a 15-year prison term, with seven suspended.

In exchange, the organised crime accused will become a state witness and testify against police officers and others implicated in the matter.

He is expected to provide evidence on the alleged corruption and tender manipulation that underpinned the controversial contract.

The plea deal comes after about two months of negotiations between Matlala’s legal representatives and prosecutors.

They said he had furnished a detailed affidavit and had secured documentation to corroborate the allegations he made in it.

The magistrate is due to make a ruling on the deal on 1 July.