By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The corruption, fraud and money-laundering case against suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has been postponed again.
Magashule and his 15 co-accused briefly appeared in the Free State High Court in Mangaung. The charges against them relate to the R255 million asbestos roofs eradication project.
Judge President Cagney Musi postponed the matter until November 3, for a pre-trial conference.
Magashule’s lawyer Lawrence Hodes SC asked prosecutor Johan de Nysschen to give his clients the list of witnesses implicating the former Free State premier.
De Nysschen said he would consider Magashule’s request.
Meanwhile Magashule outside court,questioned the unavailability of the witness list against him.
He says the state is yet to provide them with a list of witnesses against him and the case against him is just a waste of their time and he reiterated that charges against him were politically motivated.
It’s for the first time that you hear the state say they can’t give [a list of witnesses] and the judge just asked them a simple question to say but just give them a list of witnesses because we are entitled as the so-called accused involved in corruption. I have never in my life been involved in corruption so how do I defend myself,” Magashule adds.
He said there are no more than 70 charges against him. “You can see this is clearly political. As the top six said these are flimsy charges on record,”he further adds.
Magashule vehemently refutes reports that the people of the Free State are vexed over alleged corruption that took place during his tenure as premier.
The court is expected to hear an application under section 212B of the Criminal Procedure Act which deals with proof of undisputed facts in the matter.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the prosecution was happy that the matter was going ahead.
The former ANC military spokesperson of the Mkhonto WeSizwe Veterans, Carl Niehaus, told journalists that they are tired of trumped-up charges and courts being used for political factions’ battles. Niehaus, who is a staunch supporter and ally of Ace Magashule, was in Bloemfontein to support the suspended Secretary-General (SG).
Niehaus said it seems as if the charges against Magashule have served their purpose, of making sure that he is suspended from his party’s SG position.
The charge sheet details the counts Magashule is facing, among them allegedly using his influence as Free State premier to secure more than R1.1m in payments from businessman Igo Mpambani, who was murdered in 2017.