Staff Reporter
The five officials from the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development who are facing numerous charges including corruption, fraud and money laundering involving over R244 million have been granted bail by the Bloemfontein Regional Court.
Chief finance officer Lerato Mngomezulu, 39, facilities management director Disebo Masiteng, 59, corporate services chief director Tom Ndumo, 52, former agrarian reform director Mahlomola Mofokeng, 55 and former head of department Mbana Peter Thabethe, 54, were each granted bail of R10 000 when they appeared in court today.
The charges they face include forgery, uttering, fraud, money laundering, corruption and contravening the Black Broad Based Empowerment Act.
They face up to 58 counts.
The five are said to be part of the adjudication committee that granted a contract to a company called Superior Quality Trading, which also trades as Rekgonne Community Projects, without following set procedure.
According to the state, in June 2014, Rekgonne Community Projects entered into an agreement with the Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement all projects on behalf of the department for two years.
Between 2012 and 2016, the department is said to have paid more than R244 million to the company.
Last month, former Free State agriculture chief finance officer Sylvia Dlamini, 49, who is presently the deputy director general in the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and businesswoman Malikomo Mohapi, 55, were arrested by the same Hawks team after they uncovered an alleged elaborate fraudulent scheme.
The five will now be enjoined to Dlamini, Mohapi and Rekgonne Community Projects, the first three accused in the matter.
All eight accused are expected back in court on September 10.
The alleged crime was uncovered during investigations into the Estina Dairy case.
It was discovered that there were irregularities in the financial flow analysis of a bank account belonging to Dlamini.
The matter is not part of the much-publicised Estina Dairy scandal which has since been struck off the court roll, but it was discovered during investigations into that case.
Large amounts of money were allegedly deposited into a bank account belonging to Dlamini, prompting the investigation.
The two women are also out on R10 000 bail each.