Johannesburg - The Zondo commission has heard how national prosecuting authority officials, Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi, allegedly received cash bribes from Bosasa monthly in exchange for information on a Bosasa investigation.
Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi detailed how Jiba and Mrwebi and Jackie Lephinka, who was Jiba's assistant, would be paid as they were handling the investigation involving Bosasa and the correctional service department.
Agrizzi said in 2009/2010 it was decided, along with former prisons commissioner Linda Mti, that Jiba, whose code names was "Snake" would be paid R100 000, Mrwebi, who was called "Snail", would be paid R10 000 and Lephinka "J" would be paid R20 000.
Mti had been in constant contact with Jiba, Mrwebi and Lephinka and he had suggested that they should be "sorted out," Agrizzi testified. Mti had also received documents from Jiba and Lephinka regarding the NPA investigation and in turn would hand these documents to Bosasa boss Gavin Watson, Agrizzi said.
According to Agrizzi, Mti would be the one who facilitated the payments to the NPA officials while he also received a cash payment of R65 000 a month.
"I was instructed by Gavin Watson to take to Mti cash earmarked for him as well as cash to be delivered to a number of other officials (as was done on a monthly basis). Gavin Watson informed me that I was to take extra cash for the people at the NPA. He explained that he had packed security bags for Nomgcobo Jiba in the amount of R100 000-00 and marked it “Snake”, Lawrence Mrwebi in the amount of R10 000-00 and marked it “Snail” and Jackie in the amount of R20 000-00 and marked it “J”. I took these bags together with the other bags to Mti. These were added to the regular monthly payments made to Mti," said Agrizzi.
Mti had also received cash for officials in the department of correctional services which included the acting commissioner of correctional services Nonkululeko Jolingana and R100 000 for Grace Molatedi who was an area commissioner.
Agrizzi said he had access to the documents that Mti had received from the Jiba. These NPA documents referenced the investigation into tender contracts received by Bosasa. Some of the documents were marked "draft charge sheet on Bosasa", "Progress on Bosasa investigation". These documents were compiled by prosecutors from the NPA. Email exchanges between prosecutors were also included in the information handed over to Mti allegedly by Jiba and Liphinka.
"I was told that the above documents came from the files of the NPA concerning the investigation into Bosasa. I speak later of the actual police docket that was shown to me. Lawrence Mrwebi, Nomgcobo Jiba and Jackie Lephinka continued to receive these monthly payments until such time as I left the employment of Bosasa. I do not know if they received any subsequent payments," said Agrizzi.
The inquiry continues.
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