MAGASHULE’S FORMER ASSISTANT ARRESTED IN U.S. AS MULTI-MILLION RAND ASBESTOS TRIAL POSTPONED
As the corruption trial of Ace Magashule (pictured) 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 under way in the high court in Bloemfontein yesterday but was postponed to
June 14.
Speaking in court, NPA regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said Moroadi Cholota was set to appear in a U.S. court yesterday, but did not divulge the charges she faces.
“We can confirm that Ms Cholota was arrested this past weekend and she is expected to appear this morning 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 the Free State premier at the time.
Magashule and his co-accused tried to challenge their prosecution, but the high court dismissed the matter in May 2022.
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 corruption case.
The court ruled that the appeal had no reasonable prospects of success and there was 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. Magashule claims that he is innocent and the case is politically motivated.