Former Eskom Boss Matshela Koko Granted R300 000 Bail After Claiming Poverty, SA Calls for Justice
- Former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko was granted R300 000 bail at the Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court
- Despite claiming he could not afford to pay the bail amount, the court heard about Koko’s million-dollar business interest outside the country
- The charges stem from alleged irregular contracts amounting to more than R2 billion for building Eskom’s Kusile power station
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MPUMALANGA - Former Eskom CEO Matshela Koko pleaded poverty and was granted R300 000 bail at the Middelburg specialised commercial crimes court on Thursday, 27 October. His lawyer Siphelele Zwane attempted to argue that Koko was unemployed and was only able to pay R50 000 bail.
Source: Getty Images
The former CEO is accused of schedule five offences, including corruption, fraud, and money laundering. He is charged with his wife, Mosima, stepdaughters Koketso Aren and Thato Choma and lawyer Johannes Coetzee, who were each released on R70 000 bail.
Koko is facing a 15-year jail sentence if he is found guilty. The matter has been postponed to March next year for further investigations, according to TimesLIVE.
Former SA Local Government Association chief executive Thabo Mokwena, Eskom project director at Kusile Hlupeka Sithole and Watson Seswai, were also released on R300 000 bail.
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Despite claiming he could not afford to pay the bail amount, the court heard about Koko’s business interest outside the country that earned him millions of US dollars.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate national spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka told the Daily Maverick that the charges stem from alleged irregular contracts amounting to more than R2 billion for building the Kusile power station.
A portion of the money was allegedly used to benefit Koko, and his family and companies were set up to launder money. Seboka added that it is alleged that Coetzee set up money laundering vehicles.
Mzansi reacts to the court case:
@FaredaVandeKaap said:
“It always amuses me when these #RET types plead poverty, despite being prosecuted for looting MILLIONS! Now Matshela Koko pleads unemployment as a reason for not paying a high bail when his overseas business interests are worth millions: More lies!”
@KMT_Sbane posted:
“Matshela Koko has been arrested for corruption, but for the NPA to prove he is complicit beyond doubt, and find a conviction, is near impossible. We know that the NPA failed in many respects, even so dismally to bring the chief of Phala Phala scandal to book. Selective justice!”
@GiftOfShange added:
“The state better have a water-tight case because any crack and Koko will sue take them to the cleaners.”
NPA nabs former Eskom boss Koko, his wife and stepdaughter for state capture-related corruption
In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Former Eskom chief executive Matshela Koko, his wife Mosima and his stepdaughter Koketso Choma have been arrested on corruption charges.
The arrest was carried out by the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate and relates to a multibillion-rand contract between the power utility and Swiss engineering company Asea Brown Boveri (ABB).
The Citizen reported that ABB outsourced to Impulse International, a local company where Choma was a shareholder. Koko’s stepdaughter allegedly received R30 million from the deal, some of which were passed to Mosima Koko.
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Source: Briefly News
