A Gauteng hospital has declared one of the 12 accused in the Eskom Kusile power station upgrade corruption case unfit to stand trial.
The Sterkfontein Hospital declared Antonio Trindade unfit to stand trial after he underwent a medical assessment.
The Johannesburg High Court made this revelation on Tuesday when the 12 defendants appeared in court on corruption charges pertaining to the R1.4-billion intended for the 2014-2017 upgrade of the Kusile power station in Mpumalanga.
Businessman Trindade, former Eskom senior manager Frans Hlakudi, former Eskom executive Abram Masango, businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana, and former Eskom contractor Michael Harry Lomas are the accused in the case.
Seven companies have joined them as accused parties. Lomas joined the other accused following his extradition from the UK in September.
The defendants are charged with money laundering, fraud, and corruption.
The case has been rescheduled for pretrial proceedings on March 5, 2025, according to Henry Mamothame, the spokesperson for the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) of the National Prosecuting Authority.
Lomas remains in custody
Mamothame said the Sterkfontein Hospital declared Trindade unfit to stand trial after he underwent a medical assessment to determine his fitness to stand trial.
He stated that the court subsequently separated Trindade’s matter, and he will return on May 8 for a further medical reassessment.
“Hlakudi, who was a manager at Eskom at the time of the alleged offence, together with his co-accused, are facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering following his alleged direct involvement in the R1.4-billion meant for the upgrade of Kusile power station in Mpumalanga between 2014 and 2017,” said Mamothame.
He said Lomas would remain in police custody because he has not brought a bail application. The other accused are out on bail.
Lomas is facing 65 counts of corruption.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, working with IDAC prosecutors, carried out a thorough investigation into the purported corruption in the Kusile power station upgrade, according to Mamothame.
“Following the arrest and court appearance of the 11 accused, the asset forfeiture unit was granted a restraint order valued at approximately R1.4-billion against their assets.”
