The liquidators for Bosasa have accused Gavin Watson's nephew, Jared, of leaking evidence from an ongoing secret and confidential inquiry into Bosasa to businessman Kevin Wakeford, who attempted to introduce it during his testimony at the Zondo Commission last week, says a News24 report.

In a lawyer's letter addressed to the commission's chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the liquidators said they intended to apply to interdict any further disclosure of evidence from the secret inquiry.

After Bosasa went into liquidation, a private and confidential insolvency inquiry was launched in terms of Section 417 of the Companies Act of 1973. The inquiry is headed up by retired Judge Meyer Joffe and began its work in February 2020, and looked into the affairs of African Global Operations (Pty) Ltd and other Bosasa subsidiaries.

‘The liquidators' ongoing investigations into the affairs of Bosasa have revealed that a sophisticated scheme was employed within Bosasa so as to allow the true controllers of these corporate companies to channel the revenue generated by these companies into the pockets of certain select individuals designated as beneficiaries of the scheme,’ said the liquidators in the letter.

Last week, Wakeford appeared before the commission to respond to testimony that implicated him as a facilitator and benefactor in some of Bosasa's untoward business dealings.

He denied allegations by former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi that he negotiated a contract between Bosasa and the Department of Home Affairs.

During his testimony, he tried to introduce evidence from the secret inquiry, which he said would show that Agrizzi and former Bosasa chief financial officer Andries Van Tonder lied under oath and that he was falsely being implicated.

Agrizzi's lawyers questioned how Wakeford had obtained evidence that was presented at a secret inquiry.

Wakeford's lawyers told the commission that the information had come from Jared, the current director of African Global Holdings, and that a deputy master of the court had granted Watson consent to present the Section 417 evidence to the Zondo Commission.

But the liquidators said: ‘Mr Watson was not granted consent to disclose the evidence to Mr Wakeford, nor was Mr Wakeford granted permission to disclose the evidence to the commission.’

Jared Watson reportedly told News24 in response that ‘there is absolutely no truth to any such accusation’ that he was not entitled to pass on the information.

‘Most importantly the question needs to be asked as to why Mr Agrizzi’s legal representatives would seek to prevent the Zondo Commission from having access to his evidence at the insolvency inquiry, if indeed Mr Agrizzi has nothing to hide and truly wishes to “come clean” for his past transgressions, as he has previously stated.’

The liquidators accused Wakeford of wanting to use the evidence for his own personal interest and said they were not interested in his ‘personal squabbles’ with Agrizzi.

Full News24 report