PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY, 01: Angelo Agrizzi appears in the trade court in Pretoria on the 1 st of February 2019. He appeared with others who were arrested after Agrizzi’s statements at the Zondo Commission. (Photo by Gallo Images/ Netwerk 24 / Beeld)
State Capture: Agrizzi back before Zondo to spill more Bosasa beans
Six months after the mysterious death of Bosasa CEO, Gavin Watson, Angelo Agrizzi returns to the State Capture Inquiry.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY, 01: Angelo Agrizzi appears in the trade court in Pretoria on the 1 st of February 2019. He appeared with others who were arrested after Agrizzi’s statements at the Zondo Commission. (Photo by Gallo Images/ Netwerk 24 / Beeld)
Former Chief Operations Officer of Bosasa, Angelo Agrizzi, returns to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture on Friday after a prolonged absence following riveting 2019 testimony.
A year after first appearing before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, Agrizzi, who detailed the depth of state-endorsed corruption and the African National Congress’ (ANC) immoral alliance with private sector plunderers, makes his long-awaited return to the podium.
Since Agrizzi first opened the can of corruptive worms which threw the ANC into damage control mode, much has happened on the side-lines of the Bosasa scandal. In addition to numerous attempts on Agrizzi’s life, the mysterious and untimely death of Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson in August 2019 left a series of questions unanswered.
Six months after Gavin Watson’s unexplained demise
Watson, who rebranded Bosasa as African Global Operations, was killed in a motor vehicle collision while allegedly attempting to feel the country. An independent investigation, sanctioned by the Watson’s grieving family, raised flags of foul play, determining that the businessman at the centre of a highly-publicised State Capture inquiry had died prior to colliding with a concrete pillar near OR International Airport.
Watson’s funeral in the Eastern Cape was fitted with ANC memorabilia. The ruling party described him as an “anti-apartheid activist”. Former President Jacob Zuma delivered the eulogy to a hall packed with ANC supports, insinuating that Watson’s untimely death had all the hallmarks of an assignation attempt.
Agrizzi was caught up in the fallout. Jared Watson, Gavin’s nephew, alleged that the only person who stood to gain from his uncle’s death would be Agrizzi. The Watson family proceeded to lay criminal charges against Agrizzi, claiming that, while working for Bosasa between 2012 and 2017, the COO swindled R37.5million from the company.
Agrizzi denies murdering his former Bosasa boss
Agrizzi vehemently denied the accusations levelled against him, arguing that the Watson’s were attempting to discredit his testimony against the Bosasa CEO.
During his time before Zondo, Agrizzi implicated Watson and a number of high-ranking ANC members in serious misconduct, including fraud, bribery, corruption and racketeering. Bosasa, which was awarded lucrative government contracts, particularly with the Department of Correctional Services, was said to have been paid approximately R12 billion for services, some of which were never rendered.
High ranking ANC officials implicated in corruption by Agrizzi include former president Zuma, South African Airways (SAA) chairperson Dudu Myeni and Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, to name just a few.
Agrizzi’s reappearance before the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture is scheduled to start at 10:00 on Friday 13 March.
