MOROADI CHOLOTA MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE IN THE HIGH COURT
11 SEPTEMBER 2024
Moroadi Cholota (37), who is accused 17 in the Free State Asbestos matter, has made her first appearance in the High Court of South Africa – Free State Division sitting in Bloemfontein.
The matter was transferred to the High Court on 16 August 2024, after the accused was granted bail of R2500 on 15 August 2024, by the Bloemfontein District Court.
The accused, who is facing 9 counts of corruption as well as fraud relating to the Free State Asbestos Roofing Case, was successfully extradited from the United States of America where she had been residing for almost 5 years. She was extradited after a lengthy extradition process involving the Hawks, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and Interpol.
The accused’s extradition judgement was delivered by USA Courts on 31 July 2024. After a prolonged time, she arrived in South Africa on Thursday, 08 August 2024, and was immediately processed by the DPCI.
During Cholota’s first appearance in the high court, through her legal representative she indicated that she needed additional time, to be able to study the contents of the docket before the pre-trial conference and the trial. The defence had initially requested that the matter be remanded to November 2024.
The matter has been postponed to 16 October 2024 for pre-trial conference in the High Court in Bloemfontein.
