The former Emfuleni Local Municipality fleet manager accused of a multimillion-rand fraud scandal is back on the streets after spending 19 days behind bars, reports Sedibeng Ster.

Lerato Mpholo was granted R25 000 bail by the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court yesterday (July 29) in a case involving fraud, corruption and theft.

Tender irregularities linked to R16m payout

The Gauteng Political Killings Task Team arrested Mpholo after linking him to the alleged irregular awarding and implementation of a municipal vehicle fleet tender in which about R16m was paid to a service provider for the delivery of 18 municipal vehicles, including UD trucks and bakkies.

Investigations revealed that only seven of the contracted vehicles were delivered to the municipality, despite the service provider allegedly having received full payment.

Accused faces strict bail conditions

During the proceedings, the 42-year-old ex-municipal official who faces Schedule 5 charges stood silently in the dock as Magistrate Ipfi Mammburu delivered the much-awaited ruling.

Mammburu gave two conditions for Mpholo that included that he may not be in possession of his passport and should not leave the province or the country.

The case was postponed to September 29 while the State continues with its investigations.

Defence attorney highlights emotional impact

“We are very excited for our client. He has been in custody for the past 19 days, and you can imagine the impact that has had on his employment and his life. We were confident he would be granted bail based on how we presented our case,” Makhanya told Ster.

The attorney said the defence team would now shift its focus to preparing for trial.

“This is a complex matter. We need to thoroughly prepare our defence and wait for the investigations to be completed so we can study the evidence. Our instructions are clear: my client will plead not guilty to all the charges,” he said.

Makhanya also revealed that the time spent in custody had taken a heavy emotional toll on Mpholo.

“There was a stage during his ordeal with members of the investigating team where he struggled to breathe because of severe depression. His state of mind has been compromised. He is not mentally stable, but he survived the experience,” he claimed.

The State is expected to continue gathering evidence before the matter returns to court in September.

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