Former Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa distanced himself from shady “freelance” financier Jean Mopotu this week following revelations that the Zairian tried to source funding for Phosa’s ambitious R390-million casino development in Mozambique. Mopotu attained notoriety in 1998 when he helped international fraud fugitive and suspected chemical weapons dealer Moshe Regenstreich mastermind Mpumalanga’s R1,3-billion promissory note scandal through his Sandton-based Fenetic Investments brokerage. His role in a new contentious R200-million Mpumalanga pension tender involving National Intelligence Agency operatives is also being probed by South Africa’s Scorpions investigation unit. Mopotu met Phosa’s business partners about the R390-million Quatro hotel and casino project in February, and presented the project to Gauteng investment brokers in March. Phosa denied that Mopotu was “officially” involved and insisted the project was being funded entirely by large reputable institutional backers in Britain and South Africa. His business partner and former Mpumalanga environmental affairs MEC David Mkhwanazi has confirmed that he personally met Mopotu in February to discuss possible funding for the project.