MPMALANGA’S controversial former finance head, Shadrack Mashele, appeared briefly in the Nelspruit Regional court on fraud charges on Monday after allegedly using State funds to settle personal business debts. Mashele appeared along with his former colleague and Mpumalanga’s current assistant finance director, Sellion Maseko. They were not asked to plead and were released on their own recognisance when the case was postponed to January 17 to allow for Mashele’s lawyer to be present. Maseko allegedly helped Mashele channel R120000 out of government coffers last year to settle business debts while they both still worked in the provincial finance department. The unnamed Waterval Boven baker who received the cheque has already made a detailed statement to police and will reportedly testify as a State witness. Media revelations about the alleged scam forced Mashele to resign from government in September.