By: Staff Reporter
Former Lepelle Northern Water Board Chief Executive Officer, Phineas Kgahlisho Legodi appeared briefly in the Polokwane Magistrates on charges of tender fraud. Joining Legodi in the dock were the chairperson of the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC), Gwako Micheal Moseamedi, and businessman, Emanuel Matome Sefalafala, National Prosecing Authority (NPA) spokesperson Sipho Ngwema confirmed. Africa News 24-7 broke the news of the arrest of the group yesterday.
Legodi, Moseamedi and Sefalafala were joined by Falaz General Trading and Construction (Pty) Ltd on charges of fraud, alternatively theft, forgery and uttering, with Legodi facing an additional charge of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. The three were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (DPCI) over the weekend.
It is alleged that in 2018 the Lepelle Northern Water Board advertised a tender in the Limpopo Province for the collection, removal and disposal of hazardous waste management in 2018. Legodi was the CEO, an accounting officer of the Lepelle Northern Water Board, at the time.
Based on the recommendations of the BEC, chaired by Moseamedi, and the Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC), Legodi appointed Sefalafala’s company, Falaz General Trading and Construction, to render services.
Lepelle Northern Water is a waterboard and its primary activity is to provide water service to the other water services institutions within its service area in the Limpopo Province.
Prosecutor, Adv Dalton Tshinyani, of the Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU) asked for the matter to be postponed for 17 December 2020 for bail application and the accused were remanded in custody.
