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‘I’m not well’: Fraud-accused fugitive Michael Lomas makes first court appearance [VIDEOS]
Following his extradition and first court appearance, former Eskom contractor Michael Lomas said he fears for his health.
Michael Lomas has been extradited from the UK to stand trial in the R1.5-billion Kusile Power Station fraud and corruption case. Pictures: X screengrabs/ @ewn and @Newzroom405
The corruption case against Michael Lomas has been postponed to 27 September when the fraud-accused British national will appear at the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court for a formal bail application.
The former Kusile Power Station contractor’s brief appearance at the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Friday afternoon followed his successful extradition to South Africa.
WATCH: Michael Lomas lands at OR Tambo
The 77-year-old businessman touched down early on Friday morning at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport where he was handed over to the Hawks by the police.
Kusile corruption case: Dodgy Eskom tenders linked to Lomas
Lomas is facing 65 counts of fraud and corruption.
The former wanted fugitive has previously been charged with fraud, corruption and money laundering along with former Eskom senior manager France Hlakudi, former Eskom group capital division executive Abram Masango, businessman Maphoko Kgomoeswana and Tubular Construction Projects CEO Tony Trindade.
The indictment alleges Masango and Hlakudi fraudulently pushed for Tubular Construction Projects to be awarded a R745-million contract, signed in April 2016, to build air-cooled condensers at Eskom’s Kusile Power Station in Mpumalanga.
Masango and Hlakudi had oversight of contracts in the Kusile build.
It is alleged that Lomas pocketed the R745 million by manipulating numerous contracts in the fraudulent deal in excess of R1.5 billion meant for the upgrade of Kusile between 2014 and 2017.
Man on the run: Mental health issues and suicide risk
Lomas was previously arrested and granted bail. He however fled the country to the United Kingdom where he was arrested in London in 2021 and released on bail.
In August 2024, a London court ruled that Lomas can be extradited to South Africa after authorities persuaded the court they could monitor his mental health issues.
The approval followed Lomas’s bid to block his extradition based on the fact that he suffers from depression, anxiety and insomnia. He also claimed to have suicidal thoughts.
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WATCH: Michael Lomas speaks to the media
At the extradition hearing, Dr Alan Mitchell also testified that Lomas had other health issues. These include multilateral degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, which caused weakness in his right arm and hand; poor balance; unsteadiness and limited mobility.
According to a Daily Maverick report, he underwent spinal surgery in June 2023 and April 2024.
Outside the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court, Lomas – who was sporting a neck brace – spoke briefly to the media, revealing that he fears for his health.
“It’s going to be bad, I’m not well.”
Seven-year investigation leads to several arrests
In 2017, the Hawks enlisted the skills of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), who had secured five arrest warrants by 2019.
Following the arrest and court appearance of the accused, the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) was granted a restraint order valued at approximately R1.4 billion against their assets.
What next for Lomas?
Lomas will be formally charged next Friday before his matter is combined with the one appearing before the Johannesburg High Court where the matter is prosecuted by IDAC.
In the meantime, he will be remanded in custody at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre.
He will be referred to the centre’s suicidal inmate management, where he will be placed in a single cell and an official will be assigned to check on him regularly during the day and night shifts.
Within six to 12 hours of his admission, an additional health and physical risk assessment will be conducted by a nurse.
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