Defence lawyers in the Nulane fraud and money-laundering trial have accused the investigating officer of following a preconceived narrative in the investigation of the case.
Investigating officer Mandla Mtolo, who was on the stand on Monday, has been accused of “trapping” an official to become a state witness instead of arresting him, in a bid to suit a particular narrative.
The Nulane R24.9m fraud and money-laundering trial is under way in the Free State high court in Bloemfontein. This is the first state capture case to go on trial.
Mtolo is being accused by defence lawyers of allegedly not following proper processes when offering a Free State government official an opportunity to become a section 204 indemnity witness in the case.
The six accused in the trial are:
- Gupta associate Iqbal Sharma;
- Peter Thabethe, former head of the Free State department of rural development;
- Limakatso Moorosi, former head of the Free State department of agriculture;
- Seipati Dhlamini, former provincial agriculture CFO;
- Dinesh Patel, Sharma’s brother-in-law and a representative of Nulane; and
- Islandsite director Ronica Ragavan.
Kenny Oldwage, representing Patel, accused Mtolo of not explaining his rights to an indemnity witness, Shadrack Cezula, who had drafted a deviation document used to award Sharma’s company the controversial feasibly study tender.
“You influenced him, you threatened him, you told him he was part of an indictment when he was not. You scared the hell out of him. You lied to him,” Oldwage told Mtolo.
Mtolo denied the allegations, telling the court that Cezula was offered the section 204 indemnity witness role because he had already indicated his wrongdoing in the matter.
Cezula, a former acting head of supply chain in the department and the second witness to be called by the state, told the court Seipati Dhlamini, his boss and then CFO, instructed him to draft the document.
The case continues.
TimesLIVE
Investigating officer in Nulane trial accused of tricking witness into standing for the state
Image: File/ Denvor de Wee
Defence lawyers in the Nulane fraud and money-laundering trial have accused the investigating officer of following a preconceived narrative in the investigation of the case.
Investigating officer Mandla Mtolo, who was on the stand on Monday, has been accused of “trapping” an official to become a state witness instead of arresting him, in a bid to suit a particular narrative.
The Nulane R24.9m fraud and money-laundering trial is under way in the Free State high court in Bloemfontein. This is the first state capture case to go on trial.
Mtolo is being accused by defence lawyers of allegedly not following proper processes when offering a Free State government official an opportunity to become a section 204 indemnity witness in the case.
The six accused in the trial are:
Kenny Oldwage, representing Patel, accused Mtolo of not explaining his rights to an indemnity witness, Shadrack Cezula, who had drafted a deviation document used to award Sharma’s company the controversial feasibly study tender.
“You influenced him, you threatened him, you told him he was part of an indictment when he was not. You scared the hell out of him. You lied to him,” Oldwage told Mtolo.
Mtolo denied the allegations, telling the court that Cezula was offered the section 204 indemnity witness role because he had already indicated his wrongdoing in the matter.
Cezula, a former acting head of supply chain in the department and the second witness to be called by the state, told the court Seipati Dhlamini, his boss and then CFO, instructed him to draft the document.
The case continues.
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