The criminal trial regarding the R228-million tender fraud of the Medicare 24 Tshwane District contract has been postponed to September 29.

This follows Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s decision to reject a plea agreement offered by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).

Matlala was set to plead guilty to fraud, corruption, and money laundering.

Instead of the eight-year prison sentence suggested by the parties, the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court (SCCC) rejected the recommendation, finding that a 12-year sentence would be more applicable.

IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said that while the other 14 accused in the cases are expected in court on September 29, Matlala and his companies will appear sooner.

“The state confirmed that the disclosure of the contents of the docket was completed for all accused,” the spokesperson said.

Matlala and his two companies are expected back in court on September 11 “for his matter to be transferred back to the Pretoria Regional Court where he and his two companies will be joined with the other 14 accused,” Mamothame said.

All of the accused, including suspended National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, are alleged to have used corrupt, rigged, and heavily flouted procurement processes to unlawfully award an R228-million to R360-million SAPS health and wellness services contract to Medicare 24 Tshwane District in Pretoria West.

The Medicare 24 Tshwane District facility was contracted to serve as the SAPS’s health risk management and wellness screening partner, offering healthcare services to nearly 200 000 police officers instead of relying on public hospitals.sl/dj

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