By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Ace Magashule’s former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota has been removed as a state witness in the R255 million Free State asbestos corruption case.
The former Free State premier and 15 co-accused including former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli, businessman Edwin Sodi and a former Human Settlements Department head, face corruption, fraud and money laundering charges.
Magashule, who is the suspended secretary-general of the ANC, appeared in the Free State High Court for a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday.
State prosecutor, Advocate Johan D Nysschen, issued a warrant of arrest for Cholota.
She is now a suspect and will be added as an accused to the case.
“We have sent the detectives to the US and they came back and reported to us that she is not keen to be a state witness anymore. In the circumstances, I had no choice but to sign a warrant of arrest for her and we are now busy with the process of getting her back to SA.
“She left us with no choice, unfortunately,”he said.
The state says she had promised to cooperate but later changed her mind.
Nysschen said the trial may happen without Cholota if the extradition process is not complete when it commences.
The case has been postponed to the 21 February for asserting a trial date.