BLOEMFONTEIN – The Free State High Court in Bloemfontein has rejected a bid by former PA to then Free State Premier Ace Magashule to avoid prosecution in the asbestos trial.
The court ruled that Moroadi Cholota -- one of 18 accused, including Magashule -- will face trial in the high-profile case involving alleged fraud and corruption linked to an asbestos roofing contract in the Free State.
The matter is set to resume on 2 March.
The High Court’s decision follows a ruling by the Constitutional Court of South Africa, which upheld an appeal by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the extradition matter after a lower court decision had set Cholota free.
READ | Asbestos trial involving Magashule, 16 others postponed to March
Cholota had challenged her extradition from the United States and initially succeeded, prompting the NPA to petition the Constitutional Court to overturn that ruling.
The apex court found that while the extradition process was flawed, this did not invalidate the criminal proceedings against her.
The Free State High Court was then required to rule on Cholota’s special plea, which it has now dismissed.