Investigating Directorate confident that Eskom corruption case will be re-enrolled

 The National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate is confident that the corruption case involving former Eskom Acting Chief Executive Officer, Matshela Koko, will be re-enrolled.

Koko and 18 co-accused are facing charges of fraud and corruption relating to the multi-billion rand contract that Eskom entered with a Swiss company in 2015.

The Middleburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Mpumalanga struck the case off the roll on Tuesday after the state requested a four-month postponement to finalise evidence.

The court considered the request an unreasonable delay in the completion of the investigation.

The ID’s spokesperson, Sindisiwe Seboka, says they will re-apply for re-enrollment as soon as the outstanding aspects of the investigation are completed.

NPA ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka highlighted that the court’s decision “is not tantamount to an acquittal or withdrawal of the charges”.

“The delays were not anticipated at the time of the arrest of the accused; due to the complex nature of the case, the extent and the sheer volume, and the digital nature, of the evidence seized, in particular subsequent to the arrest and enrolment. Work on the compilation of the outstanding reports is ongoing.  The ID will re-apply for the matter to be re-enrolled within a reasonable period of time, and as soon as the outstanding aspects of the investigation have been completed,” she said.

 

Done by: Alungile Njemla