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PRINCIPAL at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School who faces a slew of graft charges could be off the hook after reaching an undisclosed agreement with the North West Education and Sport Development department.

  Edwin Teach Kgonothi was slapped with 13 charges of fraud and corruption.

Some of the charges emanated from alleged submission of falsified quotations. In one instance, Kgonothi is said to have concocted a quotation of R92 430 directed to the school.

  The quotation was designed as if it was sourced and submitted by KC Chemicals company.

The department also alleged that Kgonothi submitted another false quotation to the amount of R114 130 to his school, pretending that the submission was from LKAB company.

  He was also charged for failure to execute functions and responsibilities of his duty as the principal. 

  Kgonothi allegedly approved and paid travel or transport claims of the School Governing Body members and educators in the amount of R103 775 for 2013/2014 without the necessary or required documents attached to each of the claims submitted.

  Moreover, the principal faces close to R1m in moneys not properly accounted for. The department said he allegedly pleaded guilty to three charges mounting to R330 000.

  North West provincial legislature’s education portfolio committee chairperson, Boitumelo Moiloa said that MEC Sello Lehari should make sure that proper order and good governance is restored at the school.

  “We believe that consequence management should be implemented where there is evidence that people have crossed the line. There is fraud that has been committed at Onkgopotse Tiro Coprehensive School and there was an inquiry on January 2016. The principal was interviewed and charges were brought forward by the department of education and sport development.

  All processes were followed and we want to see implementation on the agreement. We are giving them seven days to go and implement the agreement. We want to monitor and condemn any corruption of any form. There was a settlement agreement and we want the department not to change anything agreed on in the document,” Moiloa said.

  In response, MEC Lehari said: “We are not reluctant in implementing the final agreement of the report between the department and principal, Kgonothi. There was a misunderstanding because there was an agreement between the two parties. The two parties decided to amend the agreement after Kgonothi appealed his sanction.”

  Lehari added: “Kgonothi’s legal team and ours agreed on amendment on certain clause that is why there was a delay. However, the matter has been completed and I will implement the agreement. 

  Kgonothi felt that the sanction was biased and added that he signed the agreement under duress. Only few things have been amended and his argument was that if he is guilty he must be fired not be removed,” the MEC said.

  After the department found Kgonothi guilty, an agreement was reached to move him to Ngaka Modiri Molema district office, a move seen by many as promoting people who should face consequences for their actions.

  The beleaguered principal is said to have agreed to pay R2 041.66 monthly as part of returning the loot.

  Reached for comment, Kgonothi said that he was not obliged to speak since the matter is between the Education department and the provincial legislature.

  However, indications point to a scenario where he could be cleared of all the charges. – Newsnote