Cape Town — The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate will oppose the bail application against corruption-accused former Eskom contractor, Michael Lomas.
Lomas was extradited to South Africa from the UK in September last year after he was implicated in an alleged corruption issue matter at Kusile Power Station. Lomas was an Eskom contractor who was linked to an R745 million contract awarded to Tubular Construction Projects.
Lomas appeared in court on Friday where the Gauteng High Court postponed his bail application to next Friday for further hearing. His legal representative said that the State opposed the application and promised an affidavit would be provided to indicate the reasons for opposing his bail bid, IOL reported.
Lomas first appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court and his case was subsequently transferred to the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crime Court. The court eventually transferred it to the high court to be joined with that of the 11 other accused charged with him.
”In all these court appearances, he reserved his right to apply for bail. He later in December 2024, following his first appearance at the Johannesburg High Court, filed a notice with the high court indicating his intention to formally apply for bail,” the directorate said.
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The state currently alleges that Lomas had fled the country after allegations emerged that he was party to misappropriation of the R1.4 billion upgrade of Kusile Power Station.
According to eNCA, Lomas explained that one of the conditions of his extradition was that he was meant to be monitored every 15 minutes, but that was not the case.
“I’ve had some falls and I’ve passed out in the cell. People have observed me passing out because that was one of the tests that I was observed passing out or not. I’ve got quite considerable scars across my head and I have been taken for treatment,” he said.
Lomas, still wearing a neck brace, said the falls are a result of his neck as he gets dizzy. The falls are separate from passing out.
“It happens very quickly, without notice and you just drop, you fall wherever you fall, and that’s happened to me a few times,” he said.
Fraud-accused former Eskom contractor Michael Lomas has told the court that one of the conditions after he was extradited to South Africa was that he should be monitored every 15 minutes but that hasn’t happened. #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/HYX7koBMaM
— eNCA (@eNCA) January 17, 2025
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
