Hawks assemble 'team' to probe Gupta wedding

File photo: The Gupta family celebrated the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, to Indian-born Aakash Jahajgarhia in Sun City, North West.

File photo: The Gupta family celebrated the wedding of Vega Gupta, 23, to Indian-born Aakash Jahajgarhia in Sun City, North West.

Published Aug 30, 2017

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Johannesburg - The Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), or Hawks, are set to investigate Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane and the Gupta family over the alleged use of public money to fund a Gupta wedding, the DA has said. 

This after the DA's shadow Minister of Finance, David Maynier, laid criminal charges against Zwane, Atul Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta, Ronica Ragavan and Kamal Vasram at the Cape Town police station on July 3

The charges include racketeering, money laundering, assisting another to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities, and acquiring, possessing or using the proceeds of unlawful activities in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act; and submitting false or untrue tax returns.

Maynier also wrote to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) requesting an investigation into tax evasion relating to allegations that wedding expenses were irregularly deducted as business expenses by Linkway Trading, a South African-based company controlled by the Guptas, consequently evading paying tax on an amount of about R30 million in 2014.

ALSO READ: DA lays criminal charges against minister and Guptas

Maynier on Wednesday said that a team has since been assembled to investigate the matter. 

"Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata confirmed at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance, that “a team” was now investigating the charges I laid against [the six] with the South African Police Service.

"This follows revelations that public funds, meant to assist the poor, were allegedly washed through a complex web of front companies, and used to pay for Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia’s wedding at Sun City in 2013."

Maynier slammed the alleged use of taxpayers' money to fund "President Jacob Zuma’s number one clients', the Guptas’, family wedding", saying it was "grotesque" and "must be investigated without fear or favour, by the Hawks".

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