The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has successfully instituted civil litigation in the Special Tribunal to interdict and restrain a former Lepelle Northern Water Chief Executive Officer, Phineas Kgahlisho Legodi.
The interdict will see Legodi prevented from disposing of four immoveable properties, pending the final determination of pending action proceedings.
In a judgment handed down on Friday last week, Judge Modiba also ordered the Registrar of Deeds in Pretoria and Polokwane to effect an endorsement against the registration of the properties to reflect this order.
The matter relates to a water project that was meant to benefit about 50 villages in Giyani, Limpopo Province. The Department of Water and Sanitation appointed Lepelle Northern Water to oversee the project.
The SIU investigation said it had uncovered information which suggested that the water board awarded a contract to a third party to work on the project irregularly while Legodi was in charge.
He has since resigned from his position as CEO of the Lepelle Northern Water.
The SIU is an independent forensic and litigation agency tasked with the role of investigating serious malpractice, malfeasance and maladministration in relation to the administration of state institutions, state assets and public money as well as any conduct which may seriously harm the interest of the state and the public.
Legodi was in December arrested by the Hawks along with the board’s chairperson of the Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC), Gwako Micheal Moseamedi, and businessman, Emanuel Matome Sefalafala.
In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) at the time said the three were joined by Falaz General Trading and Construction (Pty) Ltd on charges of fraud, alternatively theft, forgery and uttering, with Legodi facing an additional charge of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
The prosecuting authority alleged that in 2018, the water board advertised a tender in the Limpopo Province for the collection, removal and disposal of hazardous waste management in 2018. – SAnews.gov.za
