BLOEMFONTEIN – In a major legal victory, Moroadi Cholota, the former personal assistant to ex-Free State Premier Ace Magashule, has successfully blocked her extradition from the United States.
The Free State High Court ruled on Wednesday that her extradition was unlawful, marking a dramatic turn in the high-profile R255 million asbestos tender corruption scandal.
🧑⚖️ Trial Within a Trial Ends in Triumph for Cholota
Cholota had been fighting tooth and nail against efforts to force her return to South Africa, where she faced charges in a trial initially expected to include her as a state witness.
However, her refusal to implicate Magashule in the corruption case allegedly led to her being charged instead — a move critics have labelled as punitive and politically motivated.
💼 Background: The Asbestos Tender Scandal
The corruption case revolves around a R255 million tender to audit and remove asbestos from low-cost housing in the Free State. It is one of the largest and most controversial corruption cases linked to Magashule’s tenure as Premier.
🇿🇦 Legal & Political Implications
This ruling casts fresh doubt on the credibility of the state’s case, especially regarding its handling of potential witnesses and its pursuit of justice versus political scores.
It also raises diplomatic questions about the coordination between U.S. and South African authorities, and the ethics of extradition requests where due process may be compromised.
🔍 What’s Next?
- Cholota remains in the U.S., her legal team celebrating the court’s recognition of procedural and constitutional irregularities in the extradition bid.
- The main asbestos corruption trial — with Magashule among the accused — continues, now without one of its most pivotal figures.
Stay with us for updates on how this ruling will impact the broader case and Magashule’s legal fate.
