Auditor General’s Office Says Kagiso Lerutla Case Not Linked to Financial Wrongdoing, SA Has Doubts
- A manager in the Auditor General's office at the Ekurhuleni Municipality weighed in on the charges against Kagiso Lerutla
- The Ekurhuleni City Manager faces charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice and recently appeared in court
- South Africans expressed scepticism online about the manager's statement regarding Lerutla and the charges against him
Source: Facebook
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG – A Senior Manager in the Auditor General’s (AG) office at the Ekurhuleni Municipality has insisted that Kagiso Lerutla is not facing charges related to financial wrongdoing.
Lerutla, the Ekurhuleni City Manager, recently appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court alongside suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief, Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi.
The pair face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice, and were granted bail of R30,000 each.
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No cases of fraud or corruption against Lerutla
As Lerutla remains on special leave following his arrest and subsequent court appearances, the Office of the Auditor-General at the Ekurhuleni Municipality maintained that the charges were not related to the municipality.
Mbongeni Malunga, a Senior Manager in the AG’s officer noted that the matter was a criminal offence related to a traffic incident in which a person died, and not financial wrongdoing, thus the audits would not have picked up wrongdoing.
Malunga made the comment while answering questions from Members of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).
“Chairperson, in terms of the issues that are currently in the media, the City Manager and Commissioner are going through something that we would have picked up from the audit process. As far as I am aware, chairperson, the City Manager is in prison or has been incarcerated for a matter that is related to an incident that happened on the road on the N12 that related to one of the citizens losing their lives,” Malunga said.
Source: Facebook
Why was Lerutla charged?
The fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice charges stem from two main allegations presented by the State.
Lerutla and Commissioner Mkhwanazi are accused of hiring an impersonator to appear in court on Lerutla's behalf for a speeding charge. The State claimed that R400,000 was shared between the impersonator and Mkhwanazi, who facilitated the deception.
Lerutla was interviewing for a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position at the time of the court case, and the impersonator allegedly completed community service and paperwork using Lerutla’s personal details.
He is also facing allegations regarding a fatal crash on the N12 in Bedfordview. Prosecutors alleged that Lerutla was involved in a crash that killed another motorist, and that he paid a tow-truck driver R10,000 to remove the deceased's body before authorities could process the scene.
The family of the victim also expressed shock after finding out that the docket into her death had been closed and was missing from the police storeroom.
South Africans doubt Malunga’s claims
Social media users weighed in on Malunga’s statement that the charges weren’t related to financial wrongdoing, with many saying that it was easy for evidence to be hidden or disposed of.
Bongani Mgubela said:
“Some people know how to cover their tracks.”
Nkotwane Jimmy Malaka stated:
“Those audits aren't legit. They can clean the books. We weren't born yesterday, mxm.”
Lesego Umkhonzi Tsele suggested:
“They might as well set Mkhwanazi free and allow him to resume his duties.”
Lirhanho Mtsweni claimed:
“They've silenced the real auditors.”
Infinity Green Power urged:
“Allow for an independent auditor, maybe even one from another country.”
Nkgadima Collins agreed:
“We need an external auditor to verify this.”
Dena-Maree De Grooth claimed:
‘They've shredded the documents.”
Dimpho Dimpho noted:
“He knows how to walk like a ghost. Remember, someone appeared in court for him instead, so dig deeper. Go deeper, Papa.”
Victim's family wants Lerutla imprisoned
Briefly News reported that the family of the woman who died in an accident involving Lerutla demanded that he receive jail time.
The family said that the wounds from losing their loved ones are still fresh, as the case made headlines again after Lerutla's arrest.
The family learned that the accident resurfaced through the media after Lerutla and his co-accused appeared in court.
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Source: Briefly News
