The trial within a trial in the matter involving former Free State premier Ace Magashule has been remanded to Wednesday next week.
Magashule’s legal representative, advocate Laurence Hodes, continued on Thursday to cross-examine the Hawks lead investigator, Captain Benjamin Calitz.
Hodes’ cross-examination was based on contradictions in his statements in relation to Moroadi Cholota, Magashule’s former personal assistant (PA).
He argued that Cholota was pursued only after she refused to implicate her former boss and that Calitz played an instrumental role in ruining the former PA’s life in the termination of her studies in the US.
“The state is trying to protect themselves when this witness is directly involved by cancelling her academic career and ensuring that she was brought back to South Africa
“I will prove this in the exchange of emails, and it is not being canvassed but being kept away from the court. I will prove it through the documentation which has not been handed in,” said Hodes.
Preservation order
On Wednesday, the Free State High Court granted the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) a R32-million preservation order targeting assets linked to individuals implicated in a sprawling asbestos corruption and money laundering scheme.
The order, secured by the NPA’s asset forfeiture unit, includes a luxury Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG allegedly bought in cash for R2-million, symbolising the extravagant lifestyle funded by illicit proceeds.
The NPA alleges that the seized assets comprising properties, vehicles, and other high-value items are the proceeds of a sophisticated criminal network involving theft, fraud, corruption, and money laundering.
These activities are said to have defrauded the Free State human settlements department of critical resources meant for public housing and welfare.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the NPA’s acting spokesperson in Free State, told Sunday World the the matter is continuing next week for further trial within a trial as led by the defence.
Also Read: Court freezes R32m assets linked to Free State asbestos graft case
