Court set to deliver judgment on bail for Matlala

The Johannesburg High Court is set to deliver judgment on bail for alleged crime boss Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala on Monday morning.

Matlala escalated his bid for bail to the high court last week after it was denied by the Alexandra Magistrates Court.

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He’s accused of orchestrating a hit on his ex-girlfriend, socialite and actress Tebogo Thobejane, in 2023.

When the Alexandra Magistrates Court denied Matlala bail in September, Magistrate Syta Prinsloo ruled that she was not satisfied that Matlala was not a flight risk.

But when Matlala approached the high court last week to challenge the lower court’s ruling, his lawyers argued that he had not fled even after being aware of the police investigation around him and a raid at his house months before his arrest.

Matlala’s lawyer further argued that police were malicious in how they raided his home in 2024 without a search warrant, accusing police of misleading the court when arguing against his release on bail, alleging that he owned a private jet and a boat.

On Monday, Judge Pieter du Plessis will hand down a judgment that will determine if the Alexandra Magistrates Court was fair in its adjudication of bail for Matlala.