Former assistant to South African provincial premier extradited from US to face corruption trial

By Hassan Isilow

A former personal assistant to Ace Magashule, the then premier of South Africa’s Free State province, was extradited from the United States to the country on Thursday to face several charges, including corruption.

Moroadi Cholota arrived at OR Tambo International Airport late Thursday, escorted by Interpol and other security agencies.

Col. Philani Nkwalase, the spokesperson for the elite police unit known as the Hawks, told reporters that the suspect will be handed over by Interpol to a local police station, where she will be processed and charged.

The Hawks will later transport her to the city of Bloemfontein in Free State, where she will appear in a court on Monday on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.

“We are quite happy on how far we have come, because we have 18 suspects arrested on this matter,” Nkwalase said.

Cholota was supposed to be a state witness in a case involving a 255 million rand ($13.8 million) asbestos scandal involving her former boss Magashule, who is facing corruption charges over a contract to audit homes with asbestos roofs when he was premier.