State: Lerutla paid R10k to hide dead body in murder cover-up
Suspended Ekurhuleni senior officials Julius Mkhwanazi and Kagiso Lerutla are set to appear in court today, Friday 24 April, where the court is expected to deliver a ruling on their bail applications following their arrest last weekend.
The pair face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice after an alleged plot in 2019 where Lerutla who had been stopped for speeding, reportedly paid an impersonator R400k to appear in court on his behalf. Mkhwanazi is accused of helping arrange the impersonator and sharing the payment.
Murder cover-up
During Thursday’s bail hearing, the State revealed new and more serious allegations against Lerutla connected to a fatal car crash in 2021.
According to evidence presented before the court, on 14 May 2021, Lerutla was driving a black Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon on the N12 near Bedfordview when he collided with a Hyundai. The driver of the Hyundai died at the scene. The State alleges that Lerutla then paid a tow-truck driver R10k to remove the deceased’s body before police arrived.
A culpable homicide case was opened with Bedfordview police (CAS106/05/2021) but was closed and withdrawn in August 2023. The court heard that the case file has since gone missing from SAPS storage under suspicious circumstances, though investigators are now reconstructing the docket.
Lerutla, through his legal counsel, acknowledged the accident but denied any knowledge of how police filing systems work. “I am not aware of how SAPS filing storerooms works, and I have nothing to do with the missing dockets,” he said.
More revelations
The court also heard that when Mkhwanazi was arrested at his home, police found more than 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition and around 15 rounds of R5 ammunition in his possession. Authorities are investigating whether he was authorised to keep the ammunition.
Both men deny all charges. Mkhwanazi has described his arrest as politically motivated, while Lerutla says he is not a flight risk. They have offered bail of R10k and R20k respectively and have surrendered their passports.
The State opposes bail, arguing that the accused could interfere with witnesses. A ruling is expected later on Friday or early next week.
