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Johannesburg - While his team prepares to face reigning champions Orlando Pirates this coming Saturday, Kaizer Chiefs boss Bobby Motaung is fighting his own battle in court.
Motaung will appear in the Nelspruit regional court on Monday with five co-accused after being arrested on additional charges relating to the construction of the R1,2bn Mbombela Stadium.
On Friday, he, his business partner Herbert Theledi, former chief executive at Lefika Emerging Equity Chris Grib, and lawyer Michael Romanos were each slapped with new charges of fraud, corruption and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Motaung, Theledi and Grib had arrived at court in the morning for a separate R143m fraud case relating to the stadium, which was postponed to April 22.
Motaung, Theledi and Grib were released on R15 000 bail. Romanos was released on warning.
On Monday, they will appear with two other accused - former technical services manager in the Ehlanzeni district municipality Tebogo Kubeka and former Mbombela municipal manager Jacob Dladla - who were arrested last year.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Paul Ramoloko told journalists that more arrests were expected to be made.
"This is just one part of a bigger fish. As the investigation intensifies, more arrests are looming. In the end, the public will know who did what in the construction of the Mbombela Stadium," said Ramoloko.
State Advocate Patrick Nkuna told the court on Friday that the new charges involved the loss of R920m and that the accused corruptly collaborated to appoint company Basil Reed to build the stadium.
They are accused of appointing a second bid evaluation committee with Dladla’s help and without the municipality’s knowledge.
Nkuna said the initial committee's recommendations were ignored or sidelined.
"The then municipal manager, Mr Dladla, illegally constructed a bid adjudication committee, changed the chairperson of the committee and replaced him with accused number two in this case (Kubeka) and made the previous chairperson a secretary," said Nkuna.
He claimed Romanos, as compliance officer, submitted documents to Dladla knowing the processes had been illegal.
He said all documents were kept at Lefika and none bore the municipality’s logo.
He claimed the accused failed to disclose their relationship with Basil Reed, which built Kaizer Chiefs’ stadium.
Motaung will appear in the Nelspruit regional court on Monday with five co-accused after being arrested on additional charges relating to the construction of the R1,2bn Mbombela Stadium.
On Friday, he, his business partner Herbert Theledi, former chief executive at Lefika Emerging Equity Chris Grib, and lawyer Michael Romanos were each slapped with new charges of fraud, corruption and contravening the Municipal Finance Management Act.
Motaung, Theledi and Grib had arrived at court in the morning for a separate R143m fraud case relating to the stadium, which was postponed to April 22.
Motaung, Theledi and Grib were released on R15 000 bail. Romanos was released on warning.
On Monday, they will appear with two other accused - former technical services manager in the Ehlanzeni district municipality Tebogo Kubeka and former Mbombela municipal manager Jacob Dladla - who were arrested last year.
Hawks spokesperson Captain Paul Ramoloko told journalists that more arrests were expected to be made.
"This is just one part of a bigger fish. As the investigation intensifies, more arrests are looming. In the end, the public will know who did what in the construction of the Mbombela Stadium," said Ramoloko.
State Advocate Patrick Nkuna told the court on Friday that the new charges involved the loss of R920m and that the accused corruptly collaborated to appoint company Basil Reed to build the stadium.
They are accused of appointing a second bid evaluation committee with Dladla’s help and without the municipality’s knowledge.
Nkuna said the initial committee's recommendations were ignored or sidelined.
"The then municipal manager, Mr Dladla, illegally constructed a bid adjudication committee, changed the chairperson of the committee and replaced him with accused number two in this case (Kubeka) and made the previous chairperson a secretary," said Nkuna.
He claimed Romanos, as compliance officer, submitted documents to Dladla knowing the processes had been illegal.
He said all documents were kept at Lefika and none bore the municipality’s logo.
He claimed the accused failed to disclose their relationship with Basil Reed, which built Kaizer Chiefs’ stadium.
