Bloemfontein - Former Mangaung mayor Papi Mokoena, his wife, and other senior municipal officials face 259 charges of alleged racketeering, fraud, corruption, theft and money laundering, contained in an indictment on Wednesday.
Scorpions acting-head in the Free State, Johan Roothman, handed the charges in during a short court appearance in the Bloemfontein High Court.
"The state has prepared a final indictment against 16 accused. The KPMG report is also ready for the defence teams," said Roothman.
Justice Kruger postponed the matter to October 22, 2007 for trial.
The accused face the charges jointly or as individuals.
Four businesses (close corporations) linked to some of the accused were among the 16.
The matter relates to a Scorpions' investigation at the Mangaung Local Municipality apparently covering the period 2000 to 2005.
It was initially alleged that fraud of R170m was involved.
Among the other accused are city manager Mojalefa Matlole; chief operating officer Mzwandile Silwana; Speaker Zongezile Zumane; and Mokoena's political adviser Jacob Thithi, all arrested in July 2005.
Others are Brigitte Silwana, wife of Silwana, Evodia Kok (Zumane's personal assistant), Laetitia Hoffman (Mokoena's personal assistant), Buyelwa Khethelo, a business woman from Rocklands and two Heidedal businessmen, Keabecoe en Kegomodicoe Lekone.
The rest of the accused include several Close Corporations (CCs) some of the accused were involved with.
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