Lungani Zungu
With just two weeks left before he goes back to court, Ace Magashule is pulling out all the stops to evade prison.
This time, he has dragged the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to court over his R255-million asbestos case.
In court papers, Magashule asked the Bloemfontein High Court to order the NPA to produce affidavits of its key state witnesses, including Moroadi Cholota who was his personal assistant while he was Free State premier.
He took a stab at the NPA, accusing it of failing to hand over his full indictment.
He said the delay in giving him a full indictment was an indication that the NPA was on a fishing expedition.
Magashule also wants to know all the witnesses the state intends to call when the matter is heard on 11 August.
Magashule, a close ally of Jacob Zuma said the delay is a deliberate ploy to hamper his chances of contesting for leadership position when the ANC holds its elective conference next year.
He also accused the NPA of omitting important information in its indictment.
During his last appearance in February, the NPA claimed that Cholota had turned state witness.
Magashule, however, rejected this.
He said he was baffled why the state named Cholota as a key witness, arguing that her evidence to the state capture commission did not implicate him.
“I have been further advised to respectfully submit that she is a defence witness and cannot be compelled by the respondent to be a state witness,” Magashule said in court papers.
Magashule faces 13 charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering stemming from the asbestos tender.
His party, the ANC, suspended him from his powerful secretary-general full-time position after he refused to step aside in line with the party’s step aside policy for leaders facing serious charges.
