Court hears of ‘hospital threat’ as defence challenges discharge of Musa Kekana

Security questions over a hospital stay for accused alleged hitman Musa Kekana featured in the Gauteng High Court on 7 September 2026, as the trial-within-a-trial in the attempted murder case involving Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and co-accused continued.

Former Bramley commander raises safety concerns

Colonel Owen John King, the former commander of the Bramley police station, told the court he travelled to Edenvale Hospital on 20 April 2024 after receiving information that raised safety concerns while Sergeant Elvis Raseala and another officer guarded Kekana.

King said he spoke to medical staff and asked to be put in contact with a doctor he did not know. He told the court:

“I never met the doctor, but the person on the other end of the line was a female and had an accent of someone that was not from South Africa, possibly from further up north in Africa.

I spoke to her concerning the threat of information.”

King said his discussions with the doctor focused on security implications of having the accused at the hospital and that his concern was the safety of hospital personnel and his staff. He told the court:

“When I had a conversation with her, it was about the safety of personnel at the hospital. My concern was that my staff or people at the hospital could be injured.

My request was that the detainee be discharged.”

Debate over transfer and response times

The former commander said transferring Kekana to South Rand Hospital was considered but opposed the option because Edenvale Hospital is significantly closer to Bramley police station. King told the court:

“Bramley police station is six kilometres away from Edenvale Hospital. South Rand Hospital is 23 kilometres away from Bramley police station.

If I had any problem concerning that detainee, my responses and planning would be slower. Getting my members to and from that hospital would be slower.”

King said he therefore instructed Raseala to take Kekana back to the police cells after he had been discharged.

Context of arrest and medical history

The court heard that Kekana was apprehended on 17 April 2024 in Johannesburg, hours after the fatal shooting of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. The state seeks to admit cellphone records and statements in which Kekana allegedly made admissions following his arrest.

Earlier proceedings told the court Kekana was taken to Edenvale Hospital after he began coughing blood while police were at his residence in Kew. The court also heard he had been admitted to hospital on 4 March 2024 for an “alcohol and cocaine overdose”.

Defence challenges and hearsay objection

Defence lawyer Riaan Gissing questioned King about the circumstances of Kekana’s discharge, suggesting the accused had been removed from hospital at King’s direction despite not being “medically fit” to leave. Gissing noted:

“There’s no such document signed by a doctor discharging the suspect.”

King said he could not confirm whether such documentation existed:

“I don’t know that, my Lord.”

Gissing also challenged King’s account of his interaction with Raseala, telling the court that Raseala disputed seeing or interacting with King on the day in question. King responded:

“That’s his view.”

Matlala’s lawyer Anneline van den Heever objected to the evidence about an alleged threat at the hospital, saying:

“The issue of a threat is hearsay evidence.”

Trial-within-a-trial continues

The testimony formed part of the trial-within-a-trial concerning evidence obtained after Kekana’s arrest. The main attempted murder trial involving Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and four co-accused is ongoing.