UPDATE: Bosasa corruption trial postponed pending liquidation appeal

The case against several Bosasa officials as well as former correctional services commissioner Linda Mti has been postponed to July 5, pending the outcome of the hugely controversial facilities management company’s liquidation appeal at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

It was recently revealed that Bosasa liquidators are appealing a ruling that they must hand the company back to its directors.

Bosasa’s directors had claimed that they’d been given poor legal advice and hadn’t understood what they were getting into when they agreed to liquidation.

Former Bosasa officials Angelo Agrizzi, Andries van Tonder, Patrick Gillingham, as well as Mti were back in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court today, facing numerous counts violating the Public Finance Management Act.

They were arrested in February by the Hawks on allegations of corruption related to the facilities management company Bosasa.

Agrizzi, his co-accused, and Mti are out on R20,000 bail each, related to a 2009 Special Investigating Unit report.

Mti faces charges related to the irregular awarding of tenders to facilities company Bosasa. All the accused were instructed to hand over their passports following a marathon investigation and high profile arrests last month.

R1.6 billion is said to have been misappropriated in the tender processes for the procurement of various services by the department of correctional services.

Meanwhile, Agrizzi, who was expected to provide a second round of testimony at the state capture commission today, will testify again on Thursday due to his appearance at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

The former COO is expected to reveal more information this week when he provides testimony into how Bosasa paid bribes to politicians and officials. He has, however, indicated that he sees a bleak future for himself after his second round of testimony. He mentioned death threats had been made against him, but said he would testify nonetheless.

“All I can tell you is that, after the testimony, you might meet me at my funeral.

“I am afraid of what will happen after the testimony, but I am going ahead with what I have already started.”

An earlier report by City Press claims Agrizzi has compiled a 120-page supplementary affidavit where he details underhand deals relating to how African Global Operations, formerly known as Bosasa, paid the bribes to officials.

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