Africa-Press – South-Africa. The trial of two former senior officials from the Collins Chabane Municipality, facing charges relating to the VBS Mutual Bank looting scandal, was delayed on Wednesday.
Former municipal manager Charlotte Ngobeni and former CFO Eddie Makamu made a brief appearance in the Gauteng High Court sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.
The case was delayed after one of the accused asked for a postponement.
Ngobeni and Makamu face two counts of contravening the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA). Ngobeni faces additional charges of corruption.
On Wednesday, just after 11:00, Ngobeni’s lawyer Ben Ridgard asked for a postponement, saying he had only consulted with his client on Tuesday afternoon.
He also told the court the documents he received were voluminous, adding he needed an opportunity to go through the papers they received last week.
“I am not ready to proceed with the trial,” Ridgard said.
But the State said it was ready for trial and that witnesses were in court ready to testify.
The court is expected to give its ruling on Thursday on whether to grant the postponement and if the media should be allowed to broadcast live proceedings.
Ngobeni is accused of depositing a sum of R120 million – funds that belonged to the municipality – into an interest-bearing fixed deposit account at VBS Mutual Bank for a period of three months.
In turn, she allegedly received gratification from people accused of being part of a racketeering enterprise whose aim was to swindle the bank, according to the National Prosecuting Authority.
Meanwhile, Makamu allegedly contravened the MFMA in connection with the investment of R120 million of the municipality’s money on 23 October 2017.
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