Pretoria - The corruption trial of two Limpopo businessmen was yesterday postponed to October 20 at the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Jack Maake, 44, and Matome Mathole, 34, are accused of attempting to bribe a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) officer with R300 000 in cash.
During proceedings yesterday, Limarie Lombard asked for a postponement because Maake and Mathole had changed their attorneys. The new attorneys needed time to study the docket, she said.
“We are requesting that we postpone the matter so we can give my instructing attorneys time to read the documents because currently they are not in possession of all documents.”
While prosecutor advocate Ntendeleni Tshinyani acknowledged the request for postponement, he argued that the defence should be ready to continue as soon as possible, and pointed out it was the second time that the accused had changed their lawyers.
The businessmen, who were released on extended bail, had been investigated in connection with tender fraud in a project to service boreholes in Mopani.
Their bail had been set at R50 000.
Maake and Mathole, who are business partners, allegedly wanted the SIU investigator to exclude from a report the recommendation that their company be charged criminally for corruption.
During 2019, the pair allegedly met the investigator at a Polokwane hotel and allegedly handed over R300 000 to the investigator.
The matter relates to a R50 million tender awarded by the Mopani District Municipality to Twin Corner, for the construction, installation, repair, refurbishment and maintenance of 38 boreholes.
The SIU investigated allegations of corruption, malpractice, maladministration and financial mismanagement relating to the procurement of goods and services by the municipality, and set out to recover any financial losses by the state.
Pretoria News