Hawks spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, told OFM News that Moroadi Cholota, who also is an accused in the R255 million failed asbestos project, was arrested by the authorities in the United States of America (USA). However, Mbambo says her arrest is not related to the asbestos case. She says it's about her visa that has expired in the USA.

Cholota faces at least five charges, including fraud and corruption stemming from the multimillion failed 2014 project.

OFM News previously reported that – as outlined in Pieter Louis Myburgh’s Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule's Web of Capture – Cholota made several requests for money transactions to Igo Mpambani.

It's understood that in December 2022, Cholota's student visa expired and she was arrested at the end of January 2023. It's believed that she is still in custody and it's not yet known when or if she has appeared in court to face charges of contravening the immigration act in that country.

In November 2021, state prosecutor Advocate Johan de Nysschen confirmed that a warrant of arrest for Cholota was issued.

ALSO READ - #BreakingNews: Warrant of arrest out for Magashule's former PA in US

Choloto was initially deemed to be a state witness in the failed R255 million but later turned into a suspect when she failed to cooperate with state detectives. De Nysschen said Cholota left them without a choice and she is now a suspect, soon to be an accused, in the matter. Cholota is said to be studying in the United States.

In February 2022, the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) national spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, also said paperwork – to ensure that Cholota is extradited back into the country to stand trial for her alleged role in the failed R255 million asbestos project – had commenced.

ALSO READ - #AsbestosGate: Papers to extradite former PA processed

In a twist of events last year, audio of Cholota and two Hawks investigators surfaced and caused a stir, with Cholota claiming that she was being bullied by the investigators.

Cholota wanted, what she terms as "unconstitutional charges" against her – for her alleged role in the failed R255 million asbestos project – to be dropped.

ALSO READ - #AsbestosGate: Former Ace PA wants charges dropped

Cholota has penned down a nine-page letter with the assistance of her legal representative, detailing her ordeal at the hands of the Hawks and the American FBI. In this letter, Cholota, who had a warrant of arrest against her, said at one point she woke up to a loud knocking and banging on her door by the FBI agent at her apartment in Baltimore, Maryland, who then demanded that she goes with them.

Responding to the news, Hawks spokesperson, Thandi Mbambo, told OFM News that the Hawks were aware of the public statement made by the now US-based Cholota.

ALSO READ: Hawks aware of allegations by Magashule's former PA

The State previously mentioned that there was a flagrant breach of Treasury regulations when awarding the controversial multi-million rand project, which was commissioned to eradicate the asbestos roofs of 30 000 households across the province in 2014.

ALSO READ - #AsbestosGate: There was a flagrant breach of Treasury regulations - State

On 22 July, another suspect who is the former head (HOD) of the Department of Human Settlements in Gauteng was nabbed for her alleged involvement in the failed R255 million project. 

Margaret-Ann Diedricks appeared before the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court to face charges of money laundering, fraud, corruption, and the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. She allegedly received a kickback of R7 million from the failed project after she contracted a service provider.

ALSO READ - #AsbestosGate: Suspect granted R100k bail

She was arrested at a home in Alberton, Gauteng, after the Free State police notified her about her alleged involvement.

ALSO READ - #AsbestosGate: Hawks make yet another arrest in Free State

In January 2023, the Free State High Court postponed the pre-trial of 2014's failed R255 million asbestos project, involving 18 suspects, to 5 May 2023. This was to allow for a decision by the Bloemfontein-based Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on a petition by Magashule and others, who have approached the Appeal's Court.

ALSO READ: Asbestos pretrial postponed yet again

The accused in this case include Limpopo businessman, Edwin Sodi; former Mangaung Metro Mayor, Olly Mlamleli; the former head of the Free State Department of Human Settlements, Nthimotse Mokhesi; the Director for Supply Chain Management at Human Settlements, Mahlomola John Matlakala; a businessman residing in Johannesburg, Sello Joseph Radebe; a Pretoria businessman, Abel Kgotso Manyeki; the former Director-General for the National Department of Human Settlements, Thabane Wiseman Zulu; and Albertus Venter, who occupied a role in the Free State Premier’s office.

It’s alleged Sodi irregularly awarded the housing audit tender via his joint venture with Diamond Hill Trading, owned by murdered Welkom businessman, Igo Mpambani, by the Free State Human Settlements Department in 2014. Not only was the tender irregular but it is reported that kickbacks were given to some of the accused. The implicated group is facing more than 70 counts of fraud, theft, attempted theft, corruption, and money laundering. Following their arrests, the suspects were released on bail of R50 000 to R500 000.

OFM News