Lefatshe CEO Coltrane Nyathi and Home Affairs chief director of infrastructure management Hilita Nkosana have been granted bail by the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.
Nyathi and Nkosana are facing charges of corruption, following their arrest in a successful sting operation conducted two weeks ago by the SAPS specialised crime-busting unit, the Hawks, and the Department of Home Affairs.
Nyathi was allegedly caught attempting to hand R200 000 in cash to Nkosana. A joint statement from the Hawks and the department assumed the payment was intended to facilitate the re-engagement of Lefatshe on the department's intruder prevention and detection system contract. The statement revealed this contract had been cancelled due to Lefatshe's inability to deliver to mandate.
Late last week, Magistrate Nicca Setshogoe granted bail of R20 000 and R10 000 to Nyathi and Nkosana, respectively, and postponed the matter to October for further investigation.
Bound by detail
Acknowledging defence concerns that the pair may attempt to hamper ongoing investigations, the magistrate attached several conditions to the pair's bail.
Accordingly, both executives are restricted from making “direct or indirect” contact with any employee of the Department of Home Affairs and the State IT Agency (SITA). This includes accessing the computer network or entering the premises of either entity.
Additionally, neither executive is allowed to leave the Gauteng province without obtaining permission from the investigating officer. Both men must report to their nearest police station every Wednesday between the hours of 6am and 8pm. The executives are to “remain present at their places of residence” between 10pm and 6am, except for those cases where they have written permission to leave Gauteng.
Nyathi and Nkosana will appear again on 29 October.
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