(Cornel van Heerden/Gallo)
A former ANC member of parliament, who allegedly received more than R600 000 in kickbacks from the infamous Bosasa company, has handed himself over for arrest. The former official handed himself over for arrest on Thursday at the Alberton police station in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, where some drama ensued when he tried to evade reporters while doing so.
The former MP chaired the parliamentary portfolio committee on correctional services from 2009 to 2014. The department of correctional services contracted with Bosasa in a more than R838-million catering contract.
This week, the Hawks conducted a number of blitz arrests. Prominent businessman Edwin Sodi, who has been implicated in the theft of more than R200-million from the Free State department of human settlements under the guise of an asbestos audit in that province, was one of the individuals arrested.
Up to seven people picked up in three different provinces are expected to make appearances at the Bloemfontein high court for charges related to fraud and corruption as well as contravention of the Public Finance Management Act, the Mail & Guardian has learnt. Five companies are scheduled to appear alongside them on Friday.
Camped outside the Alberton police station, reporters spotted the former MP, who was driving a silver-grey luxury Mercedes-Benz. Upon spotting the reporters, he sped off, but was forced to return because his investigating officer was at the Alberton police station.
The former MP made an appearance last month at the Zondo commission, where he conceded that Angelo Agrizzi, the self-confessed racist and social delinquent, had “loaned” him R660 000 in two tranches to pay for his daughter’s tertiary studies in Wales.
Agrizzi is the former chief operations officer at Bosasa. He also made an appearance at the Zondo commission in January and October 2019, at which he claimed Bosasa had allegedly paid millions of rand in bribes to secure lucrative government contracts.
The arrested former MP, who also allegedly benefited from Bosasa’s largesse, cannot be named until he makes his first appearance at the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, operating from the Palm Ridge magistrate’s court in Alberton.
The first court appearance is expected to be on Thursday.
The individual was escorted by the Hawks to the court in Palm Ridge, where he is expected to apply for bail, as well as indicate how he would plea should the matter head to trial.
This story will be updated once he has appeared.