Finally, Hawks home in on the Bosasa cabal
Just two weeks after the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture heard shocking evidence of corruption at the highest level, the Hawks have swooped in and arrested several Bosasa executives. The company’s former chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi had the nation glued to their television screens for several days as he accused company executives, politicians and cabinet ministers, high-profile civil servants, unionists, and even journalists, in back-handed deals to help Bosasa.
Agrizzi told the commission how the company would spend between R4m and R6m each month to pay bribes to various people.
On Wednesday, the former Bosasa boss was among seven people arrested on charges of money laundering, fraud and corruption related to correctional services contracts awarded to the company. They appeared briefly in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial crimes court.
The arrests could be seen as a positive indication that those who may have had a hand in looting the public purse will be held liable and have their day in court.
However, it is still early days and declaring victory in the war against white collar crime now is premature.
It remains to be seen if the Hawks were merely playing to the gallery or if they have sufficient evidence to make the charges against the Bosasa executives, and whoever else may follow, stick. It is not the first time the unit has made big arrests, only for it to fizzle out a few months down the line.
The Hawks last year made arrests in the controversial Estina dairy farm saga amid allegations that more than R200m, which was meant to benefit black farmers in the Free State, had been looted.
Eight suspects with links to the politically connected Gupta family were arrested for allegedly defrauding the project.
However, the NPA at the end of last year provisionally withdrew the case pending the finalisation of its investigation. Newly-appointed NPA boss Shamila Batohi will have her work cut out – particularly in light of the testimony that has emerged from the Zondo commission.
Only time will tell what the future holds for the Bosasa cabal – and all those accused of benefiting from their ill-gotten gains.
The arrests could be seen as a positive indication that those looting the public purse will be held liable