Luxury vehicles and mansions: NPA to seize Sodi’s assets
The chickens have come home to roost for local businessman Edwin Sodi, as the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) will be continuing with the seizing of his assets on Tuesday, 6 October 2020.
Sodi, along with several other people including human
settlements head of department Nthimotse Mokhesi and John Matlakala, the
department’s director of supply chain management, were arrested by the Hawks
for their role in the R255 million asbestos scandal.
They were granted bail ranging from R50 000 to R500 000 on
Friday, 2 October 2020.
The businessman boasts assets which read like a grocery list
– including luxury vehicles; Bently, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche Cayenne, Rolls-Royce
and others. He also owns 11 properties, including in upmarket suburbs. Sodi is
essentially at the centre of the saga, owning the most assets amongst his
co-accused.
As if that wasn’t enough, Blackhead Consulting, Sodi’s
company owns a whole fleet of vehicles, including several Ford Ranger, Polo
Vivo and Nissan vehicles. There was notably a R3 million Ferrari. Sodi appeared
before the state capture inquiry where he admitted to giving money to the
African National Congress (ANC), including some of its high-profile members.
Blackhead Consulting and Diamond Hill Trading, which were
meant to assess houses with asbestos roofing in the Free State, back in 2016.
Former Mangaung mayor Sarah ‘Olly’ Mlamleli, who’s also the
accused, could lose five properties in her name as well as two vehicles,
including an Audi Q7. Meanwhile former human settlements minister Thabane Zulu
has a home in Pretoria and several cars, including a Range Rover.
The AFU has said Mlamleli needed to be held accountable as
she failed to flag the hundreds of millions made to both companies, during her
tenure.
“There was a duty by Mlamleli to act and stop the irregular
procurement and if she did so the DHS would not have suffered a further loss of
R139m and Mlamleli clearly ignored the AG’s report and further identified
herself with the criminal activity that was being perpetuated through a
fraudulent scheme by department officials and Sodi, Blackhead Consulting,
Diamond Hill and others,” the AFU said.
The suspects face over 60 charges which include corruption,
fraud, money laundering in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of
Corrupt Activities Act (POCA) as well as contravention of the Public Finance
Management Act (PFMA).
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