Corruption case against Ace Magashule postponed

Kaya News Reporter

The corruption case against suspended ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule has been postponed to 10 June. This follows an application by Magashule and three other co-accused to have the charges against them withdrawn.

Facing corruption charges in the R255 million asbestos project, Magashule, Edwin Sodi, Thabane Zulu and Nthimotse Mokhesi appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Monday.

The high-profile case involves Magashule and 15 other co-accused for fraud, corruption and money laundering charges, relating to the alleged irregular awarding of the multi-million Rand contract.

Magashule said the charges against him were trumped up and politically motivated with no weight behind the allegations.

Lawyers for Ace Magashule argue that “political activity appears to be the ulterior purpose behind the decision to prosecute him” presenting that “criminal prosecution has neutralised him politically, which appears to have been the objective.”

Arguing that there is no evidence implicating him in the allegations, Magashule said the NPA was wasting his time.

Speaking to media before the pre-trial began, Magashule said, “NPA is wasting our time, they can twist things in the media but until today there is no witnesses, no evidence linking me to any asbestos case.”

Magashule was arrested in November 2020, three months after President Cyril Ramaphosa issued him a step-aside rule in August.

In other news: UPDATE: Ntuthuko Shoba murder trial drawing to an end