By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Moroadi Cholota, the former personal assistant (PA) of Ace Magashule, is expected to arrive at the OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday afternoon under the guard of the South African Police Service and Interpol.
Fullview has been reliably informed that Cholota has been successfully extradited from the United States.
Cholota is expected to be handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (Hawks) upon her arrival at the airport.
A warrant of arrest had been issued for Cholota, who was initially a state witness in the multi-million-rand Free State asbestos graft matter when she refused to cooperate with authorities.
Magashule and the other accused, including companies, are facing more than 70 counts of corruption related to money laundering.
The asbestos trial was scheduled to begin on 14 April in the Bloemfontein High Court. However, among the reasons the matter was postponed was because Cholota was under arrest in the US at the time.
Cholota faces at least five charges including fraud and corruption stemming from the asbestos project. She is accused number seven on the indictment.
The other co-accused are businessman Edwin Sodi; former director-general of the national Department of Human Settlements Thabane Zulu; Nthimotse Mokhesi; Mahlomola Matlakala; Sello Radebe; Adel Kgotso Manyeki; Nozipho Molikoe; Albertus Venter; Margaret-Ann Diedericks and former MEC and Mangaung mayor, Sarah “Olly” Mlamleli.
In addition, Blackhead Consulting, 602 Consulting Solutions, Mastertrade 232, Ori Group and other companies are also facing charges.
On 12 April 2024, Cholota was arrested in the United States and brought to court. The allegations against her indicated that South African authorities had charged her with four counts of fraud and five counts of corruption in violation of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
On 7 June, the Maryland District Court heard the extradition case.
Judge Erin Aslan said: “Cholota is alleged to have knowingly engaged in this scheme by using her government position to facilitate corrupt financial transactions.
“South Africa’s extradition request is accompanied by indictments, sworn statements and affidavits, a forensic audit, emails, and many other documents, all of which amply support a finding of probable cause to believe both that Cholota is the individual named in the pending South African indictment and that she committed the charged offences.”
Aslan further found that “the evidence before this court is sufficient to justify Cholota’s commitment for trial had the offences with which she is charged been committed in the United States.
The role of Magashule’s former PA was first brought to light by the State Capture Commission on 6 December 2019. She provided details about the R225-million asbestos scandal and the alleged money trail.
Cholota’s testimony revealed much about the intermediary role she played in requesting financial favours from people like Ignatius “Igo” Mpambani on behalf of her boss. Mpambani was subsequently murdered.
The asbestos contract relates to a joint venture between Sodi’s Blackhead Consulting and the late Mpambani’s Diamond Hill Trading 74, which secured the lucrative contract from the Free State Department of Human Settlements in 2014.