Magashule’s former PA arrested in US

JOHANNESBURG - As the trial of Ace Magashule went to court yesterday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the former African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General’s former executive assistant had been arrested in the United States.

Ace’s trial, over two years on the pre-trial roll, was set to get underway in the High Court in Bloemfontein yesterday but was postponed to June 14.

Charges

Speaking in court, NPA Regional Spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Moroadi Cholota would appear in a US court yesterday but did not divulge the charges she faces.

“We can confirm that Cholota was arrested this past weekend and she was expected to appear yesterday in America, that process will be undertaken as soon as possible to bring her back to the republic.”

Magashule and his 17 co-accused including controversial businessman Edwin Sodi are facing more than 70 counts of fraud, corruption, and money laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

It relates to an asbestos tender awarded by the Free State Department of Human Settlements to Sodi’s Blackhead Consulting to audit, assess and remove asbestos from homes in the province.

Magashule was Free State premier at the time. Magashule and his co-accused tried to challenge their prosecution, but the High Court in May 2022 dismissed the matter.

Dismissed

They then turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). But in May 2023, the SCA followed suit and dismissed, with costs, the attempts by Magashule and Sodi to question the validity of their prosecution in the R255 million Free State asbestos corruption case.

“The court ruled that the appeal had “no reasonable prospects of success… and there is no compelling reason why an appeal should be heard.”

In addition to Blackhead Consulting, three other companies – 602 Consulting Solutions, Mastertrade 232 and Ori Group – are among the accused.

Innocent

Magashule claims that he is innocent and the case is politically motivated.

“I know that there is that technicality of our appeal to the SCA… I hope this case will be speedily resolved. I am ready (to go on trial) because I know I have not done anything wrong. I have not stolen a cent of government money,” Magashule said in January.

Magashule also insisted the charges against him were a ploy to prevent him from contesting for leadership positions within the ANC at the party’s elective conference in December.