The 33 suspects in the Nelspruit Magistrate's Court.
33 suspects appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in connection with fraud, money laundering, and corruption case within the Department of Education (DoE).
During the appearance, the court prioritised bail applications for five of the accused, citing specific medical conditions as a primary factor for consideration. Four high-profile individuals were granted bail set at R50,000 each:
Absolom Thela, former DoE acting Chief Financial Officer, Palesa Thela, daughter of Absolom Nono Maribe former senior department official and Ruth Khoza a private service provider.
The court has imposed strict travel restrictions on those released.
To ensure compliance, the suspects must: Surrender all travel documents to the investigating officer. Obtain formal court permission prior to any attempt to leave the country.
Those granted bail are scheduled to return to the dock on March 26.
While four suspects secured their temporary release, the majority remain in custody.
The remaining suspects are scheduled for their bail applications on Tuesday February 24,
The court will also see three additional suspects who were apprehended just today, February 23, bringing them into the fold of the existing case.
The Allegations: The group faces a complex web of charges involving the misappropriation of departmental funds, with investigators focusing on how internal officials and external service providers allegedly colluded to bypass financial safeguards.
