Fraud-accused former Eskom contractor Michael Lomas has reserved his right to apply for bail until 3 December. His matter will now move to the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
Lomas returned to the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 28 October, where he was expected to apply for bail.
MICHAEL LOMAS TO KNOW HIS FATE IN DECEMBER
Lomas’s legal representative advocate Mannie Witz said they will not apply for bail at the moment, however, they are not abandoning that right.
“He will remain in custody, we are reserving our right, we are not abandoning bail by any means. We will inform the court when we decide to bring an application,” he said.
Magistrate Philip Venter said the state requested that the matter be transferred to the high court so that Lomas could join three other accused.
Due to a new indictment, Lomas will appear as accused 12.
“Until then, you will be detained in custody. There is no bail fixed,” Venter told Lomas.
WHY WAS HE ARRESTED?
In September, Michael Lomas, extradited from the United Kingdom, was arrested concerning Eskom’s R745 million Kusile power plant allegations of fraud, unauthorised rewards, corruption, and money laundering.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate, Lomas is facing 65 counts of corruption linked to the R1,4 billion that was meant to upgrade Eskom’s Kusile power station in Mpumalanga between 2014 and 2017.
Lomas is accused alongside former Eskom Group Executive for Group Capital Division, Abram Masango; former Eskom Senior Manager for Group Capital Division, France Hlakudi; the owner of Tubular Construction Project Antonio José Trindade, and the owner of Babinatlou Business Services Hudson Kgomoeswana.
CONSIDERING HIS HEALTH, DO YOU THINK MICHAEL LOMAS WILL SERVE TIME IN PRISON SHOULD HE BE FOUND GUILTY?
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