PHOTO COURTESY NPA
The former personal assistant of ex-Free State premier Ace Magashule on Wednesday made her first appearance in the High Court of South Africa, sitting in Bloemfontein.
Moroadi Cholota (37) is accused 17 in the Free State asbestos matter.
The matter was transferred to the High Court on 16 August 2024, after the accused was granted bail of R2500 on 15 August 2024 by the Bloemfontein District Court.
The accused, who is facing nine counts of corruption as well as fraud relating to the Free State asbestos roofing case, was successfully extradited from the United States of America where she had been residing for almost five years.
She was extradited after a lengthy extradition process involving the Hawks, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and Interpol.
The accused's extradition judgment was delivered by USA courts on 31 July 2024.
NPA regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said after a prolonged time, she arrived in South Africa on Thursday, 8 August 2024, and was immediately processed by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
During Cholota's first appearance in the high court, and through her legal representative, indicated that she needed more time to be able to study the contents of the docket before the pre-trial conference and the trial.
The matter has been postponed to 16 October 2024 for pre-trial conference in the High Court in Bloemfontein.
