Vusimuzi Matlala rejects 12-year prison sentence in R228 million police tender corruption case
via The Namibian4 min read
Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala has rejected a 12-year prison sentence and withdrawn from his plea deal with the state, returning the R228 million police tender corruption case to its initial stage. Matlala, along with his companies Medicare24 Tshwane District and Luxo Africa Brand Investments, appeared before magistrate Ignatius du Preez in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes court. Matlala had previously pleaded guilty on June 25 to seven counts of fraud, corruption, and money laundering related to a police health tender awarded to Medicare24 Tshwane District. The original plea agreement, negotiated with the National Prosecuting Authority鈥檚 Investigating Directorate Against Corruption Idac, would have resulted in an effective eight-year sentence and required Matlala to testify against senior police officers. However, Magistrate Du Preez rejected this agreement on July 1, deeming it too lenient, and proposed an effective 12-year sentence. Du Preez stated that Matlala's cooperation was driven by self-preservation rather than remorse. With the collapse of the deal, Matlala is entitled to withdraw his guilty plea, and the state will need to prove its case from scratch. The matter has been postponed to September 11, and Matlala remains in custody. The tender, initially advertised at R360 million, was awarded for approximately R228 million in June 2024 and canceled in May 2025 after an internal audit flagged irregularities, with about R50 million already paid out. Matlala also face
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Despite mandatory SIM registrations, Namibians are experiencing an increase in 'vishing' scams, prompting regulatory authorities, network providers, and financial institutions to advise vigilance. Vishing, or 'voice phishing', involves scammers using phone calls to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, transferring money, or granting account access, primarily through psychological manipulation. Consumers frequently lose money and personal data, with police reports confirming ongoing incidents, including two cases documented in the past two weeks. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia Cran, Mobile Telecommunications Limited MTC, and the Bank of Namibia BoN emphasize that while new registration requirements enhance accountability, they do not fully address advanced social engineering tactics. Cran spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano notes that mandatory SIM registration links SIM cards to verified identities but cannot completely eradicate scams, serving mainly to aid law enforcement. MTC stressed that it is not liable when customers voluntarily provide banking PINs, one-time passwords, or identification details to scammers. BoN spokesperson Josefina Oskar states that SIM registration is only one part of a broader fraud prevention framework and does not solely prevent vishing or financial fraud. Oskar calls for coordinated action among financial institutions, mobile network operators, Cran, law enforcement, and other stakeholders to strengthen fraud pre
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