FORMER Eskom senior manager France Hlakudi, who is charged with fraud and tax offences amounting to more than R30 million, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates Court yesterday.
But the matter was postponed to 22 April by Magistrate Adriaan Bekker, to allow time to hand down judgment on the application brought by the defence for the striking off the roll of the charges.
According to the Investigate Directorate spokeswoman, Sindisiwe Twala, Hlakudi’s team argued the fraud charges should not be applicable in this matter and should be struck off before the matter proceeds to trial.
Twala said Hlakudi intentionally defrauded Sars by failing to disclose his true income, which amounts to an intent to defraud the state.
She said the fraud and contravention of the Tax Administration Act charges are in relation to his personal tax affairs and that of his companies, Hlakudi Translation and Interpretation cc, Coxinel Chicken and Bon Services Telecom.
“This is for the funds received between 2015 and 2018 when Hlakudi was Eskom Kusile Power Station senior manager for capital contracts,” said Twala.
“If found guilty, according to the Criminal Law Amendment Act a minimum sentence of 15 years is applicable for a first-time offender.”
