Court grants order freezing R1.4bn in assets of former Eskom and company executives

The Pretoria high court has granted the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA's) Investigating Directorate (ID) an order to freeze R1.4bn in assets belonging to former  Eskom executives and former Tubular Construction Projects contractors.

“Former Eskom senior manager for capital contracts France Hlakudi, the company’s former group executive for group capital, Abram Masango, former Tubular Construction Projects CEO Antonio Trindade, businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana, former Tubular Holdings executive adviser Michael Lomas, six companies owned by these individuals were served with the order,” said ID spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka.

She said the order was served and enforced on the accused in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo early on Tuesday.

“In addition, their spouses’ assets and their family trusts were included in the restraint order. The freezing order prohibits them from dealing in any manner with any of their realisable property,” Seboka said.

Hlakudi, Trindade, Masango, Kgomoeswana and Lomas face charges of fraud and corruption. Kgomoeswana faces an additional charge of money laundering.

Their case is back in court on June 1.

“Lomas, a resident of the UK, was arrested last month in the UK. The process of his extradition back to SA started last month and this matter will return to the London Westminster magistrate's court on May 20 for case management.”

TimesLIVE