Controversial businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.
Alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's plea deal hung by a thread on Wednesday, after a Pretoria magistrate rejected the eight-year sentence he had bargained for as too soft and said he deserved far longer behind bars.
Magistrate Ignatius du Preez told the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court that the effective eight years the state and Matlala had agreed on did not fit the crime, and read out an effective 12 years as the sentence he considered just.
He then stood the matter down for 30 minutes for the parties to decide whether to accept the heavier sentence or walk away from the deal.
Du Preez was scathing about the scale and cost of corruption as he delivered his judgment.
