Matlala told to identify offences he fears being incriminated in
Commissioners questioned whether Matlala can refuse to answer questions.
The Madlanga Commission faced challenges as it heard arguments regarding accused attempted murderer Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's use of a Section 204 affidavit to assert his right against self-incrimination. The commissioners questioned whether Matlala could refuse to answer questions while relying on a document that they have not been permitted to review, which pertains to a plea agreement process that was abandoned.
Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga instructed Matlala to identify the specific offenses he feared being implicated in before invoking his privilege. Madlanga emphasized that the test was not whether the question touched upon in his Section 204 statement, but rather if the question related to a crime and if the answer warranted asserting the privilege.
Earlier, Matlala's legal team threatened to walk out if the Commission did not provide additional time for preparation, but Matlala himself was uncertain about his lawyers' withdrawal. Commissioner Sesi Baloyi criticized the conflicting positions presented by Matlala and his counsel, Advocate Fatima Missi, as deeply problematic.
Baloyi emphasized that what Missi had said contradicted Matlala's stance and hoped they could resolve the issue, as it suggested a different position than what Matlala was expressing now.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
