FS asbestos corruption case: Edwin Sodi pleads not guilty to charges against him

BLOEMFONTEIN - Corruption-accused businessman Edwin Sodi has pleaded not guilty to a plethora of charges levelled against him in the Free State High Court.

Sodi made an appearance where he stands accused with former premier Ace Magashule and 16 others for a botched multimillion-rand tender.

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Sodi is accused of fraud and corruption in securing the tender to remove asbestos from roofs in 300,000 township houses in the Free State.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)’s advocate Tammeryn McPherson read the several counts of corruption faced by Sodi for allegedly buying houses and cars for Free State officials to secure the tender.

"In that during the time and place mentioned in count 88, the accused directly or indirectly, wrongfully and corruptly gave or agreed or offered to give any other person any gratification whether for the benefit of that another person or for the benefit of another person, namely the amount of R10 million in order to act and/or omit to act."

The rest of the accused are expected to continue pleading on Wednesday.