Free State asbestos corruption trial postponed after witness falls ill! The asbestos corruption matter has been postponed after the first witness called in sick.
Hawks lead investigator, Benjamin Calitz, was set to take the stand again on Thursday on the fourth day of the trial-within-a-trial.
The trial-within-a-trial kicked off this week.
Asbestos corruption trial
Former Free State Premier Ace Magashule’s former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, is challenging the court’s jurisdiction to try her in the matter, claiming that her extradition from the US was unlawful.
Hawks investigator, Captain Benjamin Calitz spent the week under cross-examination about his trip to the US in 2021 to interview Cholota.
At the time, Cholota was still considered a State witness.
Calitz claimed that Cholota was evasive and refused to provide investigators with any information that could take the matter forward.
Cholota’s lawyer, Advocate Loyiso Makapela refuted this with counter claims that they only charged her with fraud and corruption after she refused to implicate her former boss, Magashule, in any wrongdoing.
But after battling a tough cold, the State told the court that Calitz had been booked off until the end of the week.
The matter is set to resume on Monday, where the court will decide if Magashule’s lawyer, Advocate Lawrence Hodes, has been granted an application to cross-examine Calitz in the trial-within-a-trial.
In other news – Gogo Maweni speaks on her trial, pregnancy and reality show
Despite facing a trial for alleged assault, traditional healer and reality TV star Gogo Maweni is refusing to let her challenges define her. Instead, she’s focusing on her pregnancy, marriage, and giving back to the community.
In a candid interview with the publication, Gogo Maweni spoke about her challenges and endeavours. In January, Gogo Maweni — whose real name is Lee-Anne Makgotso Mofokeng — spent some time in Sun City prison before being granted bail. Read More
