Former Bosasa executive Angelo Agrizzi is set to return to the Zondo commission with more explosive testimony about the facilities management company’s alleged corrupt relationships with ANC and government heavyweights, within days of his own court appearance on corruption charges.
Agrizzi’s attorney Daniel Witz confirmed that his client, whose testimony sent shockwaves across the country and implicated a serving minister in taking bribes, will keep testifying to the state capture commission despite being arrested and charged in the middle of giving evidence.
After the former COO was arrested for alleged tender-rigging and bribery in early February, Witz said he would have to “consider his options” regarding co-operating with the Zondo commission and the Mokgoro inquiry into the fitness to hold office of suspended National Prosecuting Authority heads Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi.
Agrizzi’s testimony in January that detailed how Bosasa, led by Gavin Watson, used bribes to win tenders, marked a shift in the narrative about rampant corruption during former president Jacob Zuma’s time in office. Up to that point, allegations were centred on the Gupta family, the friends of Zuma who stand accused of using that relationship to divert state resources to their businesses.
Based on legal advice, Agrizzi decided not to testify at the Mokgoro inquiry about alleged Bosasa bribes paid to Jiba and Mrwebi, who deny wrongdoing.
While the rules of the state capture inquiry do not allow for self-incriminating testimony to be used against a witness in a criminal case, such testimony can assist the state in preparing for the cross-examination of that witness, or assist them in obtaining other evidence.
Despite this, Agrizzi has decided to continue testifying at the Zondo commission because he is “determined that the truth must be exposed in relation to the corrupt activities that were carried out over all the years. It is imperative that these aspects are investigated fully,” Witz told Business Day at the weekend.
Witz confirmed in February that Agrizzi had been preparing to submit a supplementary affidavit to the commission in which he names another MP and North West government officials as receiving bribes from Bosasa, now known as African Global Operations, when he was arrested.
The Hawks, the directorate within the police that targets organised crime and corruption, has confirmed that it is investigating cases of corruption outlined in Agrizzi’s testimony with the assistance of his lawyers.
Witz has declined to provide any further details on what Agrizzi will testify about when he takes the stand.
It is expected however that Agrizzi’s evidence will implicate another ANC MP in bribery and detail Bosasa’s interactions with justice & correctional services minister Michael Masutha, who revealed in February that he had unwittingly spent a weekend at Bosasa boss Watson’s house in 2016.
Masutha has vehemently denied that he was in any way corrupted by Bosasa, which scored billions of rand in tenders from his department.
Agrizzi is also expected to give further evidence about the security features that Bosasa installed at mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe’s properties when he was the governing party’s general secretary.
Mantashe, who is also the ANC chair, does not dispute that Bosasa did the work or that he did not pay for it, but denies that this was done with the expectation that he would do something in return for the company.
While Agrizzi implicated many senior ANC and government officials in his testimony, including environmental affairs minister Nomvula Mokonyane and former SAA chair Duduzane Myeni, it remains unclear whether any of them have applied to cross-examine him.
“We are not sure who has applied to cross-examine Mr Agrizzi,” Witz said on Sunday, adding: “We expect to find out this week.”
Agrizzi is due to appear in court on Wednesday.
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