Eskom corruption accused now in court for tax evasion

Eskom corruption and fraud accused Maphoko Kgomoeswana appeared in the Pretoria Regional court on Thursday to face charges of tax evasion of R5 million.

Investigating directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala said the court had postponed the matter to 4 August for plea and trial.

The investigating directorate uncovered the fraud charges during its investigation into corruption regarding the R745 million Eskom Kusile power station.

According to the indictment Kgomoeswana  has been charged along with his firm, Babinatlou Business Services CC, for evading income tax and company tax from 2016 to 20818 to the value of R5 million.

Former Eskom Group Executive for the Group Capital Division, Abram Masango; former contracts manager, France Hlakudi; businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana, and Tubular Construction CEO Antonio Trindade are facing several charges including counts of fraud, corruption, money laundering, offering unauthorised gratifications and receiving unauthorised gratification in relation to the Eskom Kusile R745 million corruption and fraud case. The three accused, who are all currently out on bail, allegedly committed these offences between 2014 and 2017.

National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Twala earlier said that the directorate had formally request that  Michael Lomas, former board chairperson of Tubular Construction, who is currently living in the United Kingdom, be extradited to stand trial with the other four accused in South Africa.

“Masango and Hlakudi are accused of receiving undue gratification valued at R30 million each, from the contractors,  Trindade and Lomas,” Twala said. 

“Kgomoeswana and his company, Babinatlou Business Services CC are accused of facilitating the  bribes on behalf of the Eskom Kusile contractors to the state-owned power generations’ senior bosses,” she said.

Twala said other companies implicated in the case had included Hlakudi Translation and Interpretation, Bon Service Telekom, Tubular Construction Projects, Abeyla Trading and Cosira Tubular Joint Venture (Pty) LTD.

The main court case was earlier postponed to 1 June, 2021 to allow the exchange of additional documents requested by the defence.