AG hires embattled ex-ICASA CFO

By Damaria Senne, ITWeb senior journalist

Johannesburg, 15 Jan 2007

Bridget Mohlala, the embattled former CFO of the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), has been quietly working for the office of the auditor-general for over a year, while a case of theft of R110 000 hangs over her head.

The office of the auditor-general has confirmed it employed Mohlala, a chief suspect in the theft of R110 000 from a safe at the regulator's offices in 2005, as the auditor-general's business executive for operations and transaction management.

"Bridget Mohlala has been an employee of the auditor-general since December 2005," says spokesperson Africa Boso.

Mohlala, who previously worked as head of finance for the Scorpions before joining ICASA as CFO, resigned in November 2005, amid allegations that she was the chief suspect in the theft.

Last week, a senior ICASA official noted authorities wanted to tie up the case, and that Mohlala may be charged in connection with the theft.

Inspector Sipho Nkosi, of the Bramley SAPS, confirmed that a warrant for Mohlala's arrest was issued last year, following an SAPS investigation into the theft of the R110 000.

"The case is now with a senior prosecutor of the Randburg Court, and he will decide whether there is enough evidence to charge her," he said.

The prosecuting attorney says a decision has been made and will be announced soon.

Innocent until proven guilty

Asked whether the auditor-general has made a prudent decision employing Mohlala in a financial capacity while the ICASA theft case has yet to be resolved, Boso says it would be premature and unfair to make any comments on the matter based only on speculation.

"This matter has not been brought to and tested in any court of law yet," he says.

He adds the office of the auditor-general "believes and supports the well-established legal principle of innocent until proven-guilty" and Mohlala should be afforded that courtesy.

Boso would not comment on whether employing Mohlala at "the country's supreme audit institution", while a criminal case is pending against her, would cast a shadow, real or perceived, over the office of the auditor-general.

"Although we will not comment on the merits and demerits of the ICASA matter, all we can categorically state is that as the auditor-general, the country's supreme audit institution and, therefore, one of the custodians of taxpayers' resources, we always encourage our employees to lead by example at all times when it comes to dealing with public finances. That is one of our founding principles and we have to live by it," he says.

Blacklisting the guilty

Tim Mills, a lawyer with Cliffe Dekker Attorneys, who is not involved in the Mohlala/ICASA matter, previously noted that the banking industry has a blacklisting register for employees found guilty of dishonesty. This ensures they cannot be employed in financially sensitive positions at other banks, he says.

As far Mills is aware, no such register has been established to list officials working within government departments and institutions who have been found guilty of financial dishonesty.