Qaanitah Hunter
Former SAA chairperson Dudu Myeni was implicated in state capture on Wednesday when a former senior employee of corruption-linked Bosasa, Angelo Agrizzi, dropped bombshell evidence, claiming she shared top secret information.
The Zondo Commission of Inquiry, which began its first hearing of the year on Wednesday, heard how evidence given by Agrizzi to the commission’s investigators was corroborated and how his life was threatened in the months leading up to his testimony.
Agrizzi, who worked as the chief operating officer at Bosasa until December 2016, told investigators that Dudu Myeni shared confidential information about an NPA investigation into Bosasa, at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria.
The commission heard that investigators confirmed that Myeni was staying at the hotel at the time, saying the carpet pattern shown in a picture taken by Agrizzi at the time matched the floors at the Sheraton.
Advocate Paul Pretorius told deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo that he [Zondo] would have to decide whether Agrizzi was speaking the truth, but they had enough reason to believe him.
“The witness implicates himself in serious criminal acts,” Pretorius said, adding, “It’s manifestly in the public interest that it should be heard.”
After taking an oath, Agrizzi denied that he was coerced into giving evidence or promised any reward in lieu.
Pretorius ask Agrizzi why it took him so long to come forward and testify, to which Agrizzi replied: “It’s like being in a cult and you become so engrossed.”
Agrizzi said a near-death experience made him come forward with evidence.
“I kept quiet and should have exposed unlawful activities from day one,” he said.
Agrizzi’s evidence is expected to lay bare details of corruption, fraud and money laundering as well as collaboration between corrupt managers at Bosasa and government officials in securing government contracts and tenders amounting to billions of rands.
Agrizzi said he was aware that his testimony implicated him but he had not reported the crimes.
Zondo said while he had yet to decide whether Agrizzi’s evidence was truthful, he thanked him for coming forward and helping the commission.
“The entire nation wants to know what happened. Who did what with whom? That has led to where the country is now,” he said.
