Cape Town — Former Free State Premier, Ace Magashule, says he is not losing sleep after the arrest of his former personal assistant (PA), Moroadi Cholota, who was extradited from the US to South Africa.
Cholota was extradited to South Africa last week as she was believed to be a witness in the R255 million asbestos tender scheme against Magashule and 15 other co-accused.
She made her first appearance in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Monday, seeking bail, despite opposition from the state.
Magashule said he was not worried about Cholota’s arrest, nor her latest appearance in court. He said he knew that neither he nor Cholota had done anything wrong.
“I know I’ve not done anything. I know the young lady has not done anything. Remember, they wanted her to be a state witness against who? And they forced her. Remember, there were records where they were trying to say she must implicate me and I’ve not done anything wrong. She has not done anything wrong,” Magashule said during an interview with eNCA.
Former Free State premier Ace Magashule says he’s not losing sleep over the arrest of his former personal assistant. Magashule says Moroadi Cholota is being treated like a terrorist. Cholota is set to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, on charges of fraud,… pic.twitter.com/4vMT5f1sSL
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 11, 2024
The ACT has reported that Cholota was tortured by authorities on her way back to South Africa and Magashule wished that she would be treated differently because she is not a terrorist.
“I can tell you, there is no case because I’ve never been involved in money laundering, corruption in whatever and I believe that the young lady has not been involved in anything. So welcome. Justice delayed is justice denied. We are happy and I hope she will be treated like a human being,” he concluded.
According to The Citizen, Magashule and his co-accused tried to challenge their prosecution, but the High Court in May 2022 dismissed the matter. They turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) but in May 2023, their attempts to question the validity of the prosecution in the case.
The court ruled that the appeal had no reasonable prospects of success, with no compelling reason as to why an appeal should be heard.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
