By Libuseng Nyaka
QWAQWA – Kill Crime Security company, its directors Thabiso Benjamin Skhosana, and Dimakatso Christine Skhosana, and former Maluti-A-Phofung municipal manager Futhuli Tseko Mothamaha were acquitted of all charges against them by the Bloemfontein magistrate on Monday.
This after lawyers representing the accused applied for their acquittal on the grounds that the case had no prospects of success, and no witness had linked the crimes to their clients.
In an interview with this publication, Tshepo Thusi of Tshepo Thusi Attorneys in Bloemfontein confirmed that he was representing the Skhosanas, and that their company Kill Crime, they had all been acquitted along with Mothamaha who was cited as accused number one.
“All accused including accused number one Mr Mothamaha were acquitted in terms of section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977. The section provides that if at the close of the State case, meaning when the prosecutors addressed the court that they are not calling any witness, if the court is of the opinion that there is no evidence that accused committed the offense referred to in the charge sheet, the court may return a verdict of not guilty.
The witnesses called by state did not implicate our clients in any wrongdoing or criminal activity referred to in the charge sheet hence all defence lawyers applied for acquittal,” Thusi said.
The crime was allegedly committed in 2020 when then municipal manager of Maluti-a- Phofung Mothamaha, addressed as accused one, authorized a contract to a Kill Crime security company (accused number four), a tender worth R58 million for security services without tender being advertised. Both directors Skhosana and his daughter were addressed as accused two and three, respectively.
According to the Hawks spokesperson Christopher Singo, it is reported that the chief financial officer (CFO) warned the MM by writing several letters advising him to advertise the tender.
“It is reported CFO wrote several letters to the municipal manager advising him to advertise the tender for the security services, but he failed to do so. An estimation of R58 million was paid to the service provider irregularly for a period of two years.”
He said the pair handed themselves in to the Bethlehem office of the Hawks after the matter was reported to the serious corruption investigation team on Sunday July 31,2022.
