The state’s case against the Western Cape’s former premier Peter Marais and former environment and development MEC David Malatsi, both facing corruption charges, appears to have strengthened with developer Riccardo Agusta’s plea bargain.
The regional head of the Scorpions, Advocate Tommy Prins, told a media briefing he did not wish to comment on whether Agusta would turn state’s witness when Marais and Malatsi appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on November 17, as the matter was sub-judice ”but you can draw your own inferences”.
Agusta was fined R1-million in terms of a plea bargain that was endorsed by the Cape High Court on Thursday. He pleaded to two charges of corruption.
Prins said the fine imposed on Agusta was not the highest in respect of corruption charges.
”In a matter like this where there is a plea bargain all the factors are taken into account. The high fine flows from the matter being a high-profile case involving high-profile politicians,” Prins said.
”Everything persuaded us a high fine was necessary.”
Also present at the briefing were Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Director of Special Operations for the Western Cape Bruce Morrison and Estiaan Pretorius, head of legal services for the provincial government.
Prins said Agusta had returned to South Africa voluntarily to face charges, but if he had chosen to remain in Italy the Scorpions would have had him extradited.
Morrison said Agusta had cooperated fully in the investigation. Regarding Agusta’s motives for participating in the process, Morrison said Agusta had substantial investments and ”wished to get the whole episode behind him”.
”He cooperated with the investigating team from the start.”
Pretorius said the fine and plea bargaining in the case was appropriate. — Sapa