A corruption case involving four suspects at the division of the high court in North West has been postponed to August 14 for legal representation and pre-trial conferencing.
Tebogo van Wyk, 40, Nothando Dube, 44, Sipho Levy Phiri, 39, and 54-year-old Thabang Mohlokoleng are in the dock for 34 counts including fraud, corruption, money-laundering and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
This after they were arrested by the Hawks in September 2022.
The office of the national director of public prosecutions has also authorised that charges of racketeering be added and for the matter to be centralised, as some offences were commissioned in Gauteng.
Three companies are also implicated in the R400-million SA Express tender corruption saga, namely Batsamai Investment Holdings, Sevilex Investment Holdings and Lavao, Estevao (PTY) Ltd.
National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the state intends requesting for an alteration on the indictment, which subsequently led to Van Wyk, Dube and Phiri’s attorney requesting a postponement to engage with further particulars relating to the indictment.
Meanwhile, Mohlokoleng has registered his intention to make representations for the charges against him to be dropped.
Van Wyk was granted R500 000 bail, R35 000 for Dube, R150 000 for Phiri and R50 000 for Mohlokoleng.
As part of their bail conditions, the suspects were told not to evade court on their next appearance, refrain from interfering with witnesses, and inform the investigating officer should they wish to leave their areas of residence.
“The investigations revealed that in 2014, the North West government embarked on a process to reintroduce commercial aircraft to the province’s two airports, Mahikeng and Pilanesberg, on a subsidy estimated at R400-million,” said Mamothame.
“An amount of R183-million was then paid to SA Express between 2015 and 2017 for services rendered by the ground management companies, which Van Wyk, Dube and Phiri are linked to.
“The state alleges that of the R183-million, an amount of R51-million was channelled irregularly through the charged companies.”
The North West government allegedly appointed SA Express as a service provider to render the service, but this was done without following proper supply chain management processes.
The irregularly secured agreement is said to have been signed by the four accused.
Mohlokoleng signed on behalf of the provincial department of transport and later as the accounting officer in his capacity as the head of the department.
The deal was riddled with procurement irregularities and payments were made for services not rendered.
All companies appointed to do the ground handling services were indirectly owned by Dube and Phiri, and the irregularities prejudiced the North West government of millions of rands.
Mamothame said the case was recommended for investigation by the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation will continue the investigations as recommended.
This will be conducted in phases, with a possibility of more arrests being made.
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