The three senior political players in the Free State, including an MEC, who appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court for fraud, corruption and money laundering after allegedly pocketing R150,000 for a sound system meant for a Nelson Mandela memorial lecture in 2017, have been released on bail.
THE THREE senior political players in the Free State, including an MEC, who appeared in the Kroonstad Magistrate’s Court for fraud, corruption and money laundering after allegedly pocketing R150,000 for a sound system meant for a Nelson Mandela memorial lecture in 2017, have been released on bail.
It is alleged that they pocketed the funds meant for a sound system for the lecture, however, the lecture never took place despite the money being paid.
The Free State MEC for Social Development, Motshidise Agnes Koloi, the chief director for the Human Settlement Programme, Vusimuzi Rajuili, and the political adviser to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality executive mayor, Serake Joseph Leeuw, were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) on Thursday.
They appeared in court on Friday facing charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) provincial spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said the investigation into the matter followed a 2017 enquiry when Koloi was the mayor of Moqhaka Local Municipality.
“It is alleged that the trio worked in cahoots to take over R150,000 under the pretext that it would be used for a sound system during a Nelson Mandela memorial lecture. This event never took place despite money being paid,” Shuping said.
“In September 2023, the NPA assessed the docket and evidence before court and issued warrants of arrest.”
Rajuili and Koloi were released on bail of R10,000 each and Leeuw was granted bail of R5,000.
As part of their bail conditions, the court warned them not to make contact with any State witnesses, directly or indirectly, and not to interfere with the investigation.
The case against the trio was postponed to December 4, for copies of the docket to be available.
