A British businessman, who was a former contractor for South Africa’s ailing energy utility Eskom, has been extradited from the UK to face 65 counts of corruption.
Michael Lomas is accused of taking kickbacks on contracts between his agency, Tubular Development, and Eskom for work on the Kusile energy station, which had been value in extra of 1.4bn rand ($80m; £60m).
“He allegedly manipulated contracts. He was beforehand arrested, acquired bail and fled the nation to the UK,” nationwide police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe advised AFP.
He has not but commented on the allegations in opposition to him.
Eskom has been beset with corruption allegations and is struggling to get better from years of mismanagement that has led to extended blackouts within the nation.
Mr Lomas landed at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg early on Friday morning. He was in a wheelchair and beneath heavy police escort.
Ms Mathe advised native information web site News24 that one of many situations of the extradition was to have a medical physician on the airplane due to Mr Lomas’s poor well being.
He made a short look at Kempton Park Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom earlier than the case was adjourned.
The Nationwide Prosecuting Authority (NPA) requested Mr Lomas’s extradition in 2022, nevertheless it was delayed whereas he lodged a number of appeals, which had been in the end rejected.
He was accused alongside 11 different alleged co-conspirators – together with two senior executives at Eskom and two different businessmen. They had been arrested in 2019 and their case is ongoing on the Johannesburg Excessive Courtroom.
Mr Lamos might be charged and processed after which his case might be mixed with the opposite suspects, in line with an NPA assertion.
The opposite males have been charged with fraud, cash laundering and corruption for allegedly taking kickbacks and inflating the price of the work carried out at Kusile energy station.
This was meant to assist alleviate South Africa’s crippling electrical energy shortages however the venture has been beset by delays and faults, in line with AFP.
Mr Mathe mentioned Mr Lomas was a “needed fugitive” who can be handed over to the Hawks, the police unit that investigates financial crime, corruption and organised crime.
Hawks has been engaged on this case since 2017, when an worker positioned a criticism about one of many tenders.
You might also be occupied with:
Go to BBCAfrica.com for extra information from the African continent.
Observe us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Fb at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
BBC Africa podcasts
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25631413/finalfantasy.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1 "A brand new PS5 replace is right here to handle Ultimate Fantasy XVI bugs")
