Free State High Court Deputy Judge President (DPJ), Martha Mbhele, today postponed the matter where 18 suspects face varying charges including fraud, corruption and money laundering to 15 April and 23 June 2024. This is for the commencement of the much-anticipated trial following lengthy postponements and applications to have charges dismissed by Magashule and two other suspects including Edwin Sodi and Thabane Wiseman Zulu.

Also read: Magashule's bid to have charges dropped dealt a blow

During the proceedings on Friday, 05 May morning Judge Mbhele also postponed the matter for two accused including the suspended Human Settlements official Mahlomola Matlakala for legal representation to 19 May. Mbhele also issued a warrant of arrest for the accused 5 Diamond Hill trading representative after failing to make it to court without an apology but it was however stayed until the next court appearance on 19 May.

The court was also told that the former head (HOD) of the Human Settlements Department in Gauteng, Margaret-Ann Diedricks, still needs to file responding affidavits to the state and a date of 26 May was set for that occasion.

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During this proceedings this morning inside courtroom G the state prosecutor Advocate(Adv.), Johan De Nysschen, addressed the controversial arrest of former Magashule United States (US) based Personal Assistant(PA) Moroadi Cholota by Homeland Security over her passport.

Also read: Hawks confirm arrest of Magashule's former PA

De Nysschen said the state was never informed nor involved in her arrest but did state that they are aware that Cholota was released or charges against her were dropped. Adv. De Nysschen said he understood that Cholota does not have any issues with her passport. Cholota was added to the indictment by the state in 2021 after a warrant of arrest was issued against her.

Also read:#BreakingNews: Warrant of arrest out for Magashule's former PA in US

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 Mpambani.

The state alleges that businessman Sodi was irregularly awarded the housing audit tender by the Free State Human Settlements Department in 2014, via his joint venture with Diamond Hill Trading, owned by murdered Welkom businessman Igo Mpambani. Not only was the tender irregular but kickbacks were reportedly given to some of the accused.

OFM News previously reported that the State's Advocate, Nazeer Cassim (SC) argued that there was a flagrant breach of Treasury regulations when awarding the controversial multi-million rand project. It was commissioned to eradicate the asbestos roofs of 30 000 households across the province in 2014.

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

The implicated group faces more than 70 counts of fraud, theft, attempted theft, corruption, and money laundering. Following their arrests, the accused were released on bail of between R50 000 and R500 000.

OFM News