Pretoria - A Polokwane judge has dismissed an application by the 29 Mogalakwena Local Municipality corruption and money laundering suspects to strike their case off the roll accusing the state of delaying their trial.
The case involves R15 million tender fraud at the municipality, 104 charges of corruption, three of money laundering and three of conspiracy to commit corruption in relation to tender irregularities.
The group includes the municipalities former mayor Andrina Matsemela, municipal officials and company directors.
Judge Maake Kganyago of the specialised commercial crimes court dismissed their submission and ruled that the matter be postponed to October 7 for pre-trial conference.
Speaking at the court yesterday a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson confirmed that some of the defence lawyers had argued that they had not received copies of the docket in time and therefore the case could be dismissed.
She said: “The defence brought an application to strike the matter off the roll citing unreasonable delay caused by the state.
“Some of the defence are alleging that they did not receive the contents of the dockets while the state submitted that they had already sent the contents electronically to the defence lawyers.
“Some of the lawyers confirmed that they had received the contents of the documents and the judge dismissed the application ordering that the case be postponed to October 7 for pre-trial conference.”
Mogalakwena municipality under the leadership of Matsemela has been marred by financial irregularities, corruption, tender irregularities and political instability.
Matsemela and her co-accused were arrested in September on suspicion of tender fraud and corruption as part of an investigation.
Pretoria News