Roodefontein 'bribe' to be taken

2003-02-27 22:29

Cape Town - The Scorpions are preparing to seize an alleged bribe of R340 000 paid by the developer of the Roodefontein golf estate, Count Riccardo Agusta, to the New National Party (NNP), the elite investigative unit said on Thursday.

The Cape High Court on Wednesday granted an application by the National Director of Public Prosecutions, under whose authority the Scorpions fall, to seize the money.

The money is alleged to have been a bribe paid to Peter Marais, the former Western Cape premier, and David Malatsi, the former environmental MEC.

Agusta allegedly wanted the two to approve his golf estate at Plettenberg Bay.

Scorpions spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said on Thursday that since the NNP had not opposed the order, the money would be fetched from the party by the Curator who would then hand it over to the Asset Forfeiture Unit, before it is finally placed in state coffers.

Link between money and OK for development

Malatsi and Marais were arrested by the Scorpions last Friday after the elite unit alleged that it had found a link between the money donated to the NNP and Malatsi's approval of the development.

Malatsi is said to have stripped one of his senior environmental officials, Ingrid Coetzee, of her powers after she refused to approve the development.

He allegedly then relaxed the restrictive conditions Coetzee had imposed and gave the project the go-ahead.

Steven Powell, the curator appointed by the court, said the intention of the order was to safeguard the money.

"The intention is to seize these funds and transfer them into a trust account held by us until such time as a final forfeiture order can be secured from the High Court in which event the funds will be finally forfeit to the State."

- SAPA