Corruption-accused Maluti-A-Phofung municipal manager released on R500k bail

Corruption-accused Maluti-A-Phofung municipal manager, Futhuli Patrick Motamaha, has been released on bail of R500 000.

Fraud and corruption charges

The 49-year-old appeared in the Phuthaditjhaba Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on Friday, after he was arrested on Tuesday by the Hawks for fraud, corruption and Contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act.

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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleges that Motamaha awarded a contract of R58 million to Kill Crime Security Company in 2020 without following proper procurement processes.

“Mothamaha allegedly signed a service level agreement on 19 May 2020, appointing Kill Crime Security to render security services to the Maluti-A-Phofung municipality for a period of three months without following procurement processes.

“The municipality continued to pay Kill Crime Security Company for almost two years without a contract,” said NPA Free State spokesperson Phaladi Shuping.

Mothamaha was supposed to appear with his co-accused – his father and daughter – as well as the owners of Kill Crime Security on Monday, after they were instructed by the Hawks to hand themselves over to police on Sunday, 31 July 2022. But he failed to hand himself over.

The Sekhosanas appeared in court on Monday facing similar charges and were released on bail of R150 000 each.

Bail conditions

Part of Mothamaha’s bail conditions is that he must not enter the offices of the Maluti-A-Phofung municipality, not to interfere with the investigations or intimidate witnesses.

The case was postponed to 30 September 2022 for further investigations.

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