Mti masterminded R1.8bn tenders, court hears
FORMER correctional services commissioner Linda Mti is the central figure in the illegal awarding of massive tenders worth R1.8 billion to the controversial Bosasa company then under ownership of the late Gavin Watson.
These details formed part of the final docket served on Mti when he appeared along with former correctional services chief financial officer Patrick Gillingham and former Bosasa group chief financial officer Andries van Tonder in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court yesterday.
Former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi was not in court due to a recurring illness.
In the indictment, the State alleges that Mti was appointed as the National Commissioner for the Department of Correctional Services from September 2001 for three years.
During July 2004, his term of office was extended for a further three years. Mti was, by virtue of his position, the accounting officer of the department as envisaged by Section 36 of the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999.
Mti held the responsibility for the financial and functional approval and awarding of tenders issued by the department. He resigned on November 30, 2006 to become the chief security officer for the 2010 soccer World Cup Tournament. The State, however, argues that the four tenders forming the subject of these criminal charges were awarded to Bosasa, Sondolo IT and Phezulu Fencing during the period when Mti was the commissioner and accounting officer of the department.
Mti is the only accused who was charged with five counts of contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. Mti also faces one count of corruption. In addition he stands accused, along with Gillingham and Aggrizi, on four counts of fraud each.
Gillingham was also charged with corruption. He too faces five counts of money laundering along with Agrizzi and Van Tonder. The prosecution ordered the accused to study the contents of the docket. The case against them was postponed until June 24.
On the other hand, Agrizzi failed to appear, and his lawyer said he was in hospital. A warrant of arrest was issued against Agrizzi.
However, it will not be enforced until the next court appearance. The matter relates to four tenders awarded to Bosasa and its subsidiaries valued at over R1.8bn between August 2004 and 2007.
Agrizzi took ill in October last year while appearing in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on an unrelated fraud and corruption matter. In that case, Agrizzi stood accused, along with ANC MP and former chairperson of the portfolio committee on correctional services, Vincent Smith. The State alleged that Agrizzi and Watson paid large amounts of money to Smith to stop investigations into the tenders awarded to Bosasa.
Meanwhile, the State also separately postponed the corruption trial against Frans Vorster and Carlos Bonafacio for their alleged role in facilitating a R180 000 bribe to Gillingham, who sat on the bid adjudication committee.