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R745m Kusile trial postponed as ex-Eskom exec ‘not feeling well’
France Hlakudi, who was a manager at Eskom, and his co-accused, are facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Lawyers of the former Eskom executives in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court. Picture: NPA
The trial of former Eskom senior executive France Hlakudi and his ten co-accused was postponed after an attorney representing one of the accused told the court that his client was not feeling well.
The Johannesburg High Court on Thursday postponed the case to 31 July 2024 to confirm if Antonio Jose Da Costa, accused four in the case, is fit to stand trial.
Medical report
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Henry Mamothame said Da Costa’s attorney placed it on record that his medical condition is of a “serious nature.”
“The state will, however, await the doctor’s report to confirm the allegation.”
The matter was transferred from the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court to the Johannesburg High Court, where trial is expected to sit.
Hlakudi and his co-accused were warned by the court to avail themselves on the set court date of 31 July 2024.
ALSO READ: Ex-Eskom bosses fail in request for further disclosure on R745m Kusile matter
Bribes
Hlakudi, who was a manager at Eskom at the time of the alleged offence, and his co-accused, are facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Eskom group executive for the group capital division Abram Masango, Hlakudi, businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana and Tubular Construction chief executive Antonio Trindade are accused of committing these offences for the upgrade of Kusile power station in Mpumalanga, between 2014 and 2017.
Hlakudi and Masango allegedly received R30 million each in bribes from Trindade.
Delays
Kgomoeswana and his company, Babinatlou Business Services, are accused of facilitating the bribes on behalf of the Kusile contractors to the former Eskom bosses.
The case, which started in 2019, has faced several delays in getting underway due to several postponements. Some of the delays were due to Hlakudi changing his legal representatives.
At the last court sitting in July last year, the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court dismissed two applications brought by Masango and Trindade in connection with the R745 million deal at Kusile Power Station.
The dismissal is in relation to two interlocutory applications brought in the Eskom Kusile matter argued in May and June 2023.
ALSO READ: Ex-Eskom executives due in court for R745m Kusile corruption case
