Musa Khawula accused of extorting alleged crime boss 'Cat' Matlala

The Madlanga Commission has heard testimony alleging that controversial entertainment blogger Musa Khawula attempted to extort money from suspected crime boss Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.

According to Richard Shibiri, the suspended Head of Organised Crime at the South African Police Service (SAPS), Khawula allegedly demanded payment from Matlala in exchange for withholding sensitive details about his private life from social media.

Testifying before the Commission on Wednesday, Shibiri stated that the extortion attempts occurred in September 2024.

ALSO READ: Shibiri explains texts exchanged with 'Cat' Matlala

While Shibiri noted that he no longer possesses the direct WhatsApp messages, he recounted the interaction that led to the allegations.

“The interaction arose when Mr. Matlala contacted me and narrated that he believed he was being subjected to an attempted extortion,” Shibiri testified. “He informed me that a person identifying himself as a journalist contacted him, indicating that information concerning Mr. Matlala’s private life was allegedly being supplied to Mr. Khawula for publication on social media. Payment was being demanded, implied in exchange for preventing such publication.”

Shibiri further explained that Matlala had forwarded him screenshots of the communication between himself and the individual claiming to be a journalist.

Upon reviewing the claims, Shibiri advised Matlala to open an official police case and referred him to Sergeant Fannie Nkosi.

In addition to the extortion claims, Shibiri used his testimony to distance himself from Khawula, flatly denying previous allegations made by a prior witness.

Shibiri rejected claims made by Witness F, suggesting he had reached out to the blogger, asserting that there has never been any form of communication or relationship between them.

“It’s not me, I don’t know him, I’ve never met him, I don’t have his number, he doesn’t have my number, and I don’t use the word ‘chommie’,” Shibiri told the commission.