Matlala trial: Ex-station commander testifies on Kekana discharge
A 'credible threat of violence' prompted commander to request that accused Musa Kekana be discharged
Colonel Owen John King, a former police station commander, testified in the Gauteng High Court of Johannesburg that he demanded the removal of Musa Kekana from a hospital where he was detained. This was due to concerns about safety for hospital staff and potential injuries from the accused's presence. King wanted Kekana discharged to South Rand Hospital, which was further away from his Bramley police station, but opposed its transfer to South Rand Hospital, which was 23 kilometers from Bramley.
Kekana was arrested hours after the fatal shooting of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. The police were investigating him for attempted murder. Kekana claimed he had been assaulted during his arrest, but the police refuted these allegations. Kekana was admitted to Edenvale Hospital on March 4, 2024, due to an "alcohol and cocaine overdose."
King stated he visited the hospital on April 20, 2024, after being informed about potential threats to hospital personnel. He requested Kekana's discharge, but Gissing, Kekana’s lawyer, questioned this, stating there was no doctor’s discharge document.
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