Optimum coal mine rehabilitation case set down for trial in 2024

14 April 2023 - 20:08
By Shonisani Tshikalange
At their first appearance in Randburg magistrate’s court in May last year on fraud and perjury charges, from left, Ronica Ragavan, Pushpaveni Govender and Joel Raphela.
Image: NPA Investigating Directorate At their first appearance in Randburg magistrate’s court in May last year on fraud and perjury charges, from left, Ronica Ragavan, Pushpaveni Govender and Joel Raphela.

The R107.5m Tegeta Exploration fraud and perjury case has been set down for trial next year.

The Johannesburg high court set down the matter for February 5 to March 8 2024.

Former deputy director-general in the department of mineral resources & energy and energy, Joel Raphela, former Tegeta exploration and resources director Ronica Ragavan and former trustee of Optimum Coal Mine Pushpaveni Govender are the accused in the matter.

They were arrested in May 2022 and released on bail of R20,000 each.  

The accused companies are Koornfontein Mine, Tegeta Exploration and Resources, represented by Ragavan, and Optimum Coal Mine, represented by Dhanasegaran Archary.

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said the accused were all indicted on charges of fraud, forgery, uttering, perjury and money laundering, in connection with the signing off and illegal use of R107.5m for mine rehabilitation funds for the Optimum Coal Mine and Koornfontein Mine trust accounts in 2016.

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