Johannesburg - Former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi has moved to corroborate the investigation conducted and concluded by the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).
Agrizzi began his sixth day of testimony with Advocate Paul Pretorius leading him through the SIU investigation into the corrupt relationship between Bosasa and the department of correctional services.
The SIU concluded its shocking report in 2009 and it was handed over to the NPA and the Hawks. Little movement regarding the case has been reported with allegations that NPA officials were determined to keep the report under wraps.
Pretorius asked Agrizzi to confirm details about a kitchen tender, an access tender and a fencing tender that were awarded to Bosasa and its subsidiary Sondolo IT.
Agrizzi confirmed that former correctional service chief financial officer Patrick Gillingham was instrumental in assisting the facilities company gain access to tenders. He said Bosasa was involved in drafting the tender specifications for various contracts including a fencing contract and kitchen contract. Agrizzi said he understood that payments were made to Gillingham because he was influential.
Gillingham would receive payments from Bosasa after contracts were awarded to the company, Agrizzi confirmed.
In one instance, a TV contract was awarded to Sondolo IT and Gillingham was involved in helping the company obtain the contract and he received payments after this tender was awarded. A day after the contract was awarded, Sondolo IT received an R106 million payment. Agrizzi agreed that this was unusual.
"The motivation (for the payment) was that it was imported products and that would assist with having the payment upfront. It was not a genuine reason, some of it needed to be paid upfront but definitely not R106 million. Maybe R25 million would be needed upfront," Agrizzi told commission chair deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
On Wednesday, the inquiry heard how Bosasa bankrolled Gillingham and Linda Mti, the former national commissioner of correctional service. Mti's house was built and furnished by Bosasa.
The SIU in its recommendations had also recommended that steps be taken to recoup the funds lost to the tenders and for criminal proceedings to be taken against correctional services officials. It had also recommended that Gillingham and Mti face disciplinary charges.