Bosasa, Watson offered Agrizzi between R50m and R80m to keep quiet – reports
Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson offered his former colleague-turned-whistleblower Angelo Agrizzi tens of millions in a "hush money deal", to prevent him from speaking out about the company's alleged corruption, according to reports.
The Sunday Times and City Press reported that the proposal involved paying Agrizzi a R250 000 per month "consultancy" fee, and the establishment of a new company which would receive R10m per year for six years. A R5m "good faith" payment would reportedly be made to Agrizzi, too.
Agrizzi has spent the past week giving sensational testimony to the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture, about how Bosasa allegedly paid millions of bribes to top government officials in exchange for contracts.
According to the reports, Watson made the offer to Agrizzi after Agrizzi told certain journalists that he intended to expose Bosasa's alleged wrongdoing. The proposed agreement would reportedly have involved Agrizzi retracting this undertaking.
Agrizzi reportedly said Bosasa and Watson had made several attempts to lure him back to the company after his resignation, offering him millions of rands.