Reads the charge sheet in count one: “the accused contravened the provisions of Section 68 (1) read with Section 26 of the Penal Code Act of 2010 in that they between August and September 2015 shared a common intention to pursue an unlawful purpose together and deliberately made to the Ministry of Agriculture and food security a false representation or concealed from the ministry that the tender documents that were used for a tender of supply of fertilizers at the ministry were correct and in order with the intention that the ministry should act upon such representation to its detriment and thereby causing the ministry to so act.”

The former principal secretary, Mr. Pheko is also charged separately “with contravening the provisions of Section 21 (3) (b) of the Prevention of Corruption and Economic Offences Act of 1999 in that while he was still principal secretary and as such the Chief Accounting Officer of the ministry and Chairman of the Tender Panel and public officer, he allegedly and intentionally abused the position of his office in the performance or failure to perform an act by assisting Hippo Transport in violation of the Public Procurement Regulations of 2007 as well as Treasury Regulations of 2014 for the purpose of obtaining an undue advantage for the Hippo Transport.” Mr Monokoane was granted bail deposit of M1, 000 and ordered to pay surety of M10,000 which he paid. The accused would appear again in court on October 18.