Former Ratlou acting municipal manager fraud case postponed. Image: Twitter/@SACourts
Fraud case against former Ratlou municipal manager postponed
Former Ratlou acting municipal manager Cassius Sejake’s fraud case has been postponed to the 12 of June 2023.
Former Ratlou acting municipal manager fraud case postponed. Image: Twitter/@SACourts
The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Mmabatho, postponed the case against the former Acting Municipal Manager of Ratlou Local Municipality, Cassius Sejake 46, to 12 June 2023, for legal consultation and pretrial.
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NPA not happy with delays
A presiding officer has been appointed to preside over the case and Sejake’s bail of R5000 was extended until his next court appearance.
The state intends to file a notice for the court to investigate the numerous delays resulting in a series of postponements, attributed to Sejake withdrawing the services of his attorneys and appointing new ones.
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The NPA deems these delays to be unreasonable and hopes the court will make a ruling to halt further postponements on the matter.
Municipal manager arrested
Sejake was arrested by the Hawks in September 2020, on charges related to the contravention of Section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
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This happens after allegedly flouting tender processes to the value of R7,8 million, between 2018 and 2019, when he was acting municipal manager at Ratlou Local Municipality.
It is alleged that he failed as the then accounting officer, to take reasonable steps to ensure that procurement processes were followed and observed.
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Service providers were allegedly appointed without a competitive bidding process.
According to the NPA, investigations have long been completed and the state is ready to proceed with pre-trial conferencing for the trial against the former municipal manager to commence.
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