Magashule’s former PA Moroadi Cholota to fight extradition from US
The ex-personal assistant of former Free State premier Ace Magashule intends to appeal her extradition from the US.
This follows a Friday ruling by the judge Erin Aslan of the Maryland district court which approved South Africa’s extradition application for Moroadi Cholota.
Justice ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told Sowetan’s sister publication TimesLIVE that Cholota has indicated she would appeal the decision. He said she will be extradited when that process is concluded, if it is in favour of South Africa.
“Cholota was found extraditable. Just like in our legal system, she has a right to either appeal or make representations to the secretary of state in the US, which she indicated she would do,” he said.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) initially filed for Cholota, who was studying in the US, to be extradited in 2022 after linking her to a R255m asbestos tender corruption case. The US court approved the extradition after it found the NPA produced “sufficient evidence”.
Magashule is accused of involvement in a corrupt tender scheme that allegedly saw high-ranking Free State government officials receive kickbacks from money meant to fund the removal of harmful asbestos from the homes of the province’s poorest residents.
TimesLIVE previously reported that instead of the houses being safely rid of the material at a reasonable price, the state alleges Magashule and businessman Edwin Sodi of Blackhead Consulting embarked on a “rent-seeking” scheme that resulted in only R21m in work being done.
Magashule together with Nthimotse Mokhesi, Mahlomola Matlakala, Sello Radebe, Kgotso Manyeki, Sarah Mlamleli, Nozipho Molikoe, Albertus Venter, Cholota and Margaret-Ann Deidericks have been charged with fraud, corruption, money laundering and the contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
