Angelo Agrizzi (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
The explosive testimony of former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi is expected to conclude on Tuesday, as the hearing of his evidence enters its ninth day.
On Monday, Agrizzi recounted his last years at Bosasa and the attempts by its chief operating officer Gavin Watson to coerce him into silence.
He recounted a meeting in 2010 at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton during the height of the negative media coverage of Bosasa. According to Agrizzi, the meeting was between Watson, one or both of his brothers, Agrizzi and former Bosasa chief financial officer Andries van Tonder.
At the meeting, Watson told the men that if any of them were to turn on the company they would be dealt with and that there would be consequences for them and their families, Agrizzi said.
Agrizzi also told the commission that at one point, Watson had insisted that he take the fall if anything was to come out in the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) probe into Bosasa.
The SIU had begun investigating allegations of tenders being improperly awarded to Bosasa by the department of correctional services in 2007. The unit concluded its damning report on Bosasa in 2009 and handed it over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The second half of Agrizzi’s testimony has been preoccupied with Bosasa’s attempts to avoid prosecution as a result of the SIU probe through the alleged bribing of high-ranking NPA officials — including suspended deputy head of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba and specialised commercial crime unit head Lawrence Mrwebi — and former president Jacob Zuma.
The commission’s legal head, Paul Pretorius SC, asked Agrizzi if one of the reasons he came forward with his evidence was to preempt any attempts by Watson to shift the blame onto him. Agrizzi confirmed that this was one reason.
According to Agrizzi, Watson had started denying his involvement in any corruption at Bosasa. In 2016, when the strain of Watson’s manipulation became too much, Agrizzi resigned, he said.
Agrizzi told the commission that in the days following his resignation, he was bombarded with phone calls and emails from Watson.
Watson’s brother, Cheeky, allegedly confronted Agrizzi, insisting that his return to Bosasa would save the company. According to Agrizzi, a 10-year retention agreement was drawn up, worth R12-million annually.
Agrizzi told the commission that he had agreed to return to the company on the condition that its business dealings would become less politically driven. But he eventually realised that this promise was made insincerely, Agrizzi said.
Agrizzi left the company for good at the end of 2016.