NPA: Edwin Sodi allegedly tried to bribe officials while in custody
Sodi and his co-accused on Friday were charged with corruption, money laundering, and theft in the R255 million asbestos contract.
Edwin Sodi is the director of Blackhead Consulting, the company at the centre of the asbestos scandal, appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on 2 October 2020, along with six others. The seven accused, who face around 60 charges, are alleged to have fraudulently been awarded a R255 million contract to audit and remove asbestos roofs in the Free State. Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey/EWN
BLOEMFONTEIN – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that Blackhead Consulting director Edwin Sodi was one of the seven accused in the asbestos case that had tried to bribe officials and bought cellphones while in custody.
Sodi and his co-accused on Friday were charged with corruption, money laundering, and theft in the R255 million asbestos contract.
They were all granted bail by at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court.
#AsbestosArrests
Free State Housing HOD Nthimotse Mokhesi, Ousted Mangaung Mayor (former MEC) MOlly Mlamleli, Former Human Settlements DG Thabane Zulu, Blackhead Director Edwin Sodi among 7 suspects appearing in court @nthakoana pic.twitter.com/LriIQsXAYi— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 2, 2020
The NPA’s spokesperson Sipho Ngwema revealed earlier on Friday that moves had been made to bribe officials.
“It is alleged they went into the cells with money and they started buying cellphones. Law enforcement agencies are investigating bribery and we may have to press further charges on one of the accused suspects who are appearing here today,” Ngwema said.
Ngwema later said the person in question was arrested in Rosebank, Johannesburg. And that is Sodi.
Sodi also had the longest list of properties and vehicles that the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) is now going after.