A letter classified as “top secret” and authored by provincial counter-intelligence, cites “the former provincial premier & a serving national minister” as being persons of interest in the investigation into Louis Siemens’ assassination.
The names of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi have been dragged into a high-profile R5 million bribery and murder investigation currently playing out in the Bloemfontein High Court, in the Free State.
Law enforcement sources have told City Press that the former premier and minister cited in the letter are Magashule and Motsoaledi. The voluminous indictment, seen by City Press, also shows that Bakili told a convicted murderer – who has turned state witness in the case – that if he agreed not to testify against him and his co-accused, “Ace” would give him R500 000.
“A synopsis of the situation is that the matter involves senior people in government, a current serving national minister, the former provincial premier, MECs of health and senior managers in the same department. When contacted for comment on Thursday, Magashule chose to issue a public statement rather than answer questions from City Press. In his statement, he described the intelligence report as fake news “that is being peddled against me in order to tarnish my dignity and reputation in a coordinated and concerted effort”.
The hit on Siemens was carried out in broad daylight in the basement parking lot of Preller Square Shopping Centre. Xolisile Botha Mbebeto confessed to pulling the trigger and is currently serving 22 years’ jail time in a Kimberley prison. He has since turned state witness against the eight men, who have pleaded not guilty to the charges.Mbebeto has received death threats, allegedly from Bakili, in prison.
Bakili had allegedly told Siemens that the R5 million was going to be paid to Magashule to facilitate the acquisition of the hospital licence. Siemens had, in turn, also promised Bakili shares worth over R1 million if the deal went through. Finger and Rantso decided to confront Bakili about these allegations. According to Finger’s statement, Bakili was evasive when he was confronted. He told them that “it’s not like that, and then went back to his friends” whom he was sitting with when they arrived at their meeting point.
These were disguised as loans between the two and ranged from anything as low as R3 000 to R650 000 in one go.
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