OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 4.00pm.
ABSA has strongly denied reports that it had failed to hand over documentation to the Heath special investigation unit which is investigating financial assistance provided to Bankorp between 1985 and 1992.
Referring to recent media statements attributed to Judge Willem Heath, Koos Wepener, GM: Group Legal Services for Absa, said on Thursday he was “most surprised” by the comments.
“Having supplied the unit with significant quantities of information, Absa received a subpoena for further documentation on 21 April 1999,” Wepener said.
The request apparently related to records from seven to fifteen years ago. To ensure that the search of Absa’s archives was above scrutiny, the company appointed a team of forensic auditors to supervise the search,” he added.
He said the auditors had kept the Heath unit appraised of their progress and, on July 2, they had delivered further documentation to Heath’s unit, together with a letter requesting clarification on certain outstanding items.
Wepener said it was in Absa’s best interest that the investigation be resolved as soon as possible.
He added that, other than for the outstanding information Absa was awaiting, the bank’s investigation was expected to be completed by early next week, when “about two rooms full of paperwork” would be made available to the Heath special investigating unit.