ERMELO – The state has recently decided to withdraw its case against former Msukaligwa municipal officials, Thusi Hezekiel Kubheka and his co-accused, the late Theron Zwelishe Shongwe, Masego Mmabatho Matsheka and Cynthia Makhanye, who were facing charges of fraud, theft and the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

The allegations stem from their purported involvement in violating the PFMA between 2014 and 2018, which included accusations of selling and swapping property belonging to the municipality.

The case was referred to the Middelburg District Court on October 6 of 2022.

Subsequent court appearances followed, with dates set for procedural hearings and the eventual trial.

However, on the day the trial was scheduled to start, January 5 to 9, 2024, the state withdrew its case against all accused parties.

Kubheka informed Highvelder of these developments, but could not specify the grounds for the state’s withdrawal.

Further enquiries by Highvelder were forwarded to Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, the spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Hawks, who confirmed that the main witness and the primary accused, Shongwe, had passed away in the interim.

Additionally, enquiries were sent to Monica Nyuswa, the Mpumalanga spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Nyuswa stated that the charges against the accused had provisionally been withdrawn to trace the witnesses, but that once that was done, the matter would be re-enrolled.

Read the complete article in Highvelder.