PIE NEWS
Former Ekurhuleni municipal manager, Imogen Mashazi and suspended acting EMPD chief, Julius Mkhwanazi appeared in the Germiston Magistrate court on Thursday along with two other former senior municipal officials who include suspended legal services head Kemi Behari and former human resources head Linda Gxasheka.
Mkhwanazi and Behari were granted R50 000 bail each while Mashazi and Gxasheka’s bail will be heard on Friday. This is to allow prosecutors to complete outsnading address verification.
The appearances are the result of the overnight arrests on Wednesday evening by the Mandlanga Commission Recommendations Task Team. They are all suspects facing allegations of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
Mashazi was asked to hand herself over and was not part of the overnight arrests operation and Mkhwanazi, already out on R30 000 bail in a separate case linked to current Ekurhuleni municipal manager Kagiso Lerutla, joined the others in court on Thursday.
According to the Sunday World Mashazi is represented by Johan Eksteen of BDK Attorneys while Mkhwanazi’s lawyer is Tian Peters of Sarile and Associates and Gxasheka is represented by Neo Motsatsi of MK Law and Behari lawyer is Tyron Pather. Stare prosecutor is Adv Nceba Ntelwa of the Eastern Cape who was removed from the case of the Nigerian televangelist Tim Omotoso.
Mr Omotoso and his co-accused were found not guilty at the time in the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha, with The Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Consitutional Develoment expressing dissatisfaction with how the Omotoso’s trial was handled, resulting in his acquittal.
Committee Chairperson Xola Nqola said there was public outcry following the ruling, especially since it referred to weaknesses in the prosecution of the matter.
“It was therefore important for the committee to understand first-hand what happened and what the way forward is..”
Omotoso and his co-accused, who were facing charges, including rape, sexual assault and human trafficking were found not guilty, the judge submitting that the state failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge criticised the state’s cross-examination of the accused, describing it as “poor quality”. The judge noted that it would not be appropriate for Adv Ntelwa to continue prosecuting the case as the judge would find it difficult to rely on his assurances in the matter.
However Ntelwa has recently resurfaced as part of the task team handling matters flowing from the Mandlanga Commission.