Free State High Court Deputy Judge President Martha Mbele postponed the matter to 29 August.

Sixteen suspects, including Former MEC for Agriculture Mosebenzi Zwane, Peter Thabethe, former department HOD, and Seipati Dhlamini appeared in the High Court sitting in Bloemfontein today.

It is still in its pretrial stages.

The suspects stand accused of fraud, corruption and money laundering involving the R288 million project.

It’s alleged millions were looted and siphoned by the suspects. During today’s sitting the court heard that Thabethe and Zwane are yet to file responses.

However, the legal representatives of Thabethe Daniel Mantsha told Judge Mbele, that replies to the state is ready and it will be furnished to the state as early as Monday, 24 April 2023.

Zwane is expected to file his next week Friday (28/4).

The Estina matter was revived in 2022 after it was provisionally withdrawn back in 2018 due to a lack of evidence against suspects.

OFM News previously reported the former business owner of the now-defunct Estina Company, where millions of rands were allegedly stolen by government officials and service providers, is among the suspects charged in the case

ALSO READ: Former Estina director charged

 During one of the previous court appearances at the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court another suspect, Kamal Vasram, was also charged by the state for allegedly being part and parcel to the wrongdoing in the project. More than 80 local farmers in Vrede, in the Phumelele Local Municipality, were left in limbo after the alleged corruption came to light.

OFM News previously reported that more than R220 million earmarked for Estina, to assist these upcoming farmers, was looted without beneficiaries seeing a single cent. Testimonies made to the Zondo Commission, chaired by Raymond Zondo, highlighted how the provincial department made a R30 million up-front payment to Estina without any work being done or services rendered. The commission heard how Estina only had R16 in its bank account on 4 July 2012, days before the provincial government deposited an amount of R30 million into its account.

OFM News