Court Finds Ace Magashule’s Ex-PA Moroadi Cholota Was Unlawfully Extradited From the United States

Court Finds Ace Magashule’s Ex-PA Moroadi Cholota Was Unlawfully Extradited From the United States

  • The Free State High Court ruled that Ace Magashule's former personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, was not lawfully extradited from the United States
  • Judge Phillip Loubser, who presided over a trial-within-a-trial during Ace Magashule's asbestos trial, made the ruling on 3 June 2025
  • He ruled that the state does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute her on the charges laid against her

With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

The State was found to have unlawfully extradited Moroadi Cholota from the United States
Moroadi Cholota's charges were dropped after the State was found to have unlawfully extradited her. Image: Mlungisi Louw/Volksblad/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE— The Free State High Court ruled on 3 June 2025 in Bloemfontein that the state unlawfully extradited Moroadi Cholota from the United States of America in August 2024 to face charges relating to a botched asbestos tender involving former Free State Premier Ace Magashule.

Moroadi Cholota was unlawfully extradited: Court

According to eNCA, Judge Phillip Loubser made the ruling during the trial-within-a-trial to determine whether Cholota's extradition was lawful. Loubser said that her extradition, which occurred in 2023, was done unlawfully for want of a valid or lawful request for her extradition.

Loubser said that Cholota was free to leave, and the charges against her were dropped because the state did not have jurisdiction to prosecute her on the charges laid against her.

Why was she on trial?

Cholota, Magashule, businessman Edwin Sodi, and 14 other suspects have been accused of being involved in a R255 million tender deal the Free State government awarded to Sodi in 2014. The tender was meant to replace cancer-causing asbestos roofs for 300,000 houses. However, the roofs were not replaced.

Cholota was extradited to the United States on 8 August 2024 and was charged after she refused to cooperate with the State in the case. She was initially a state witness. She has in the past stated that her charges were politically motivated.

Moroadi Cholota has been cleared of the charges against her in the R255 million asbestos case
Moroadi Cholota is no longer on trial for the R255 million asbestos case. Image: Mlungisi Louw/Volksblad/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

What you need to know about the Ace Magashule case

Edwin Sodi sells his Bryanston mansion

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Sodi, who is also facing corruption charges in connection with the asbestos case, sold his Bryanston, Sandton mansion in February 2024. Sodi was embroiled in another corruption scandal involving a tender.

He was accused of receiving a R295 million tender for the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works. The Asset Forfeiture Unit froze his assets and allowed him to use the house. However, he was not allowed to sell it.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tebogo Mokwena avatar

Tebogo Mokwena (Current Affairs editor) Tebogo Mokwena joined Briefly News in 2023 and is a Current Affairs writer. He has a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON. He joined Daily Sun, where he worked for 4 years covering politics, crime, entertainment, current affairs, policy, governance and art. He was also a sub-editor and journalist for Capricorn Post before joining Vutivi Business News in 2020, where he covered small business news policy and governance, analysis and profiles. Tebogo passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative Email: tebogo.mokwena@briefly.co.za