Picture: Former HOD at North West Department of Health, Vuyo Mbulawa, Dr Lydia Sebego, service provider, Roulgh Lotwane Mabe and Former Head of Department, Dr Thabo Lekalakala
By BAKANG MOKOTO
The fraud case against former North West Department Health’s Head, Dr Thabo Andrew Lekalakala (58), and his co-accused, Joseph Leshabane (61) has been postponed to 8 March 2024 for consultations. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame said the two were arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation and Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Units on 2 October 2023, around Mahikeng.
Mamothame said Lekalakala and Leshabane’s matter is linked to the case of the former Head of Department at the North West Department of Health, Lydia Keneilwe Sebego (63), Chief Director at the North West Department of Health, Vuyo Mbulawa (54) and a service provider, Roulgh Lotwane Mabe (69).
“The trio appeared before the court on 29 September 2023. The court granted Sebego a R10 000 bail, Mbulawa R20 000, and Mabe R100 000. The case has been combined and all the accused, including the two former HODs, will appear on the same date. The state is also expected to provide the defense attorneys with all the necessary documents by 9 February 2024 for consultations.
“Lekalakala is facing two charges of contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and two of fraud. He was granted R10 000 bail, while Leshabane is charged with his company, Raliform Investment on six counts of fraud amounting to over R49 million and he was granted R50 000 bail,” he said.
Mamothame further said Sebego is facing two charges of Contravening the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), Mbulawa is facing ten charges of fraud, and Mabe is charged with six counts of fraud. He added that, during the years 2008 to 2009, the North West Provincial Government (NWPG) sought to build two hospitals in Ledig (Moses Kotane Hospital) and Vryburg (Joe Morolong Hospital).
“A tender was subsequently awarded to MR Property (Pty)Ltd, a company belonging to Mabe. The charges against the two former heads of the department related to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that were signed between the two companies and their directors on services that needed to be rendered to the two hospitals.
“The said services were, however, not rendered, while these companies allegedly submitted fraudulent invoices, which were paid by the department after being authorised by Mbulawa. This allegedly led to a loss of over R86 million to the North West Department of Health, paid to Mabe’s company, and over R49 million paid to Leshabane’s company,” said Mamothame.
He said the state’s evidence further reveals that Sebego and Lekalakala, signed the SLAs, while they knew that the two companies were not compliant and did not meet the requirements.
Lekalala has a separate pending case, where he is charged with two counts of fraud and one of contravening the PFMA. Mamothame said he allegedly fraudulently awarded a contract for sourcing mobile clinics to Mediosa Health, a company linked to the Gupta family.
“He is out on R5000 and the matter is back in court on 12 February 2024 for further trial,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, together with the Provincial Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Major General Patrick Mbotho, lauded the prosecution and investigation team to ensure that the matter reaches the trial phase through their collaborative efforts.
The Guardian 