Durban - The feud between the Watson family and their one-time blue-eyed boy, chief operating officer (COO) Angelo Agrizzi, has taken another turn, with the wealthy family accusing the latter of theft.
On Wednesday, Bosasa’s executive Jared Watson, a nephew of the late founder of Bosasa Gavin Watson, laid criminal charges accusing Agrizzi and former Bosasa chief financial officer (CFO) Andries Van Tonder, for stealing R37.5 million while still under the employ of the facilities management company between 2012 and 2017.
Jared said the two former employees worked on a scheme where they defrauded the company using companies they owned, hence the decision. He said the company conducted a detailed forensic investigation and uncovered the alleged crime.
“Basically Agrizzi and Van Tonder owned CCs (close corporations). Those CCs would invoice Bosasa for example for 100k. Agrizzi and van Tonder as the COO and CFO would then 'receive' those invoices. Agrizzi and van Tonder would then approve those invoices together, as the two of them could approve any transaction if they both signed, and that approved invoice would then be paid by the company,” he said.
The case, according to Jared, was opened at Krugersdorp police station on Wednesday.
Responding to the latest turn of events, Agrizzi said he was not aware of the case against him until he was called by the media for a comment. He also said he has not been contacted by the SAPS to present himself as a suspect or person under investigation who should be questioned.
He said the "surprising" case against him was testimony that the Watsons were out to discredit him after he “exposed” them at the Zondo commission and added that if they wanted to dispute his evidence they should have applied to cross examine him at that platform.
“I really don’t know what to say because I know nothing about this case. I got to know from the media that there is this case that has been opened by a 31-year-old Jared,” he said, adding that he was in a game reserve in Limpopo enjoying warm coffee and has not skipped the country.
He then warned the Watsons that he was still going to spill more beans about them in the near future but did not say how and where.
“I trust in God and if they want to kill me they must come and kill me, I fear nothing… But the truth will still come out and I am still going to tell more truth. I did what was good for the country and exposed the Watsons that they are not a struggle family as they claim,” he added.
Both Agrizzi and Van Tonder testified in the Zondo commission early this year and they accused Gavin Watson of corruption and other illegal dealings in order to secure state tenders and clear tax issues with the South African Revenue Services (SARS).