Former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi is burning his accomplices at the Zondo inquiry into state capture. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)
Seven suspects, including former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi, were arrested on Wednesday on allegations relating to corruption, money laundering and fraud. They are set to appear within the next hour at the Specialised Criminal Court in Pretoria.
The arrest was made by the Directorate for Priority Investigations.
The arrest follows a high-profile investigation into tenders awarded to Bosasa (now known as African Global Group) and its subsidiaries by the department of correctional services.
The suspects, one of which was based in Port Elizabeth, allegedly received cash gifts and financial assistance in acquiring property and motor vehicles.
The Mail & Guardian has established that the other suspects include former Bosasa Chief Financial Officer Andries Van Tonder and Frans Vorster, both who testified alongside Agrizzi at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
Others who were arrested include former DCS commissioner Linda Mti and his then chief financial officer Patrick Gillingham, both who was accused by the trio of at the commission of pocketing bribes in the form of cash, cars, and a house.
Attorney Daniel Wits, who represents Agrizzi, Van Tonder, and Vorster said his clients had been informed yesterday, by the Hawks, there were arrest warrants issued against them.
“Yesterday afternoon we got a call from the Hawks saying arrest warrants had been issued for money laundering and corruption. “They’ve been complying since day one when they approached (the) state capture commission and will not stop complying now, whatever the reasons for these arrest warrants they’ll come to light one day.”
“They handed themselves over (to the Hawks) this morning [Wednesday],” he said.
Over the last several weeks, the commission of inquiry into state capture had heard how employees of Bosasa, headed by Gavin Watson, had bribed government officials to be awarded tenders in several government departments, including the department of correctional services.
Agrizzi told the commission that the company had greased the palms of senior officials, such as Mti and Gillingham, and other senior government ministers.
This article has been updated with the names of the seven suspects.