Criminal Law News South Africa

Acsa lays complaint against three employees

The Airports Company of SA (Acsa) has laid a criminal complaint against three former employees, as well as a businessman who allegedly bribed staff to win tenders at the Port Elizabeth Airport.
Acsa lays complaint against three employees
© Tomasz Wyszolmirski – 123RF.com

Businessman Essack Abdullah, former airport manager Azad Cassim, landside department head Wynand Dunn and commercial consultant Jackie Perkins are all now being investigated by the Hawks.

On Tuesay, 5 July 2016, Cassim, Abdullah and Perkins said through their lawyers that they were unaware of the investigation and maintained their innocence.

Acsa spokeswoman Luthando Kekana said the complaints had been laid on 6 June as "our company value is integrity and we are serious about upholding our values.

"We therefore take allegations of corruption seriously and must act accordingly as required."

Abdullah is alleged to have bribed the Acsa staff members with meat, money, tyres, cars and holidays to secure contracts for baggage-wrapping, advertising on luggage trolleys, shuttle services and a taxi service.

The alleged corruption was brought to Acsa's attention by a whistle-blower who, according to his affidavit, helped deliver money in white envelopes, dropped meat at the employees' homes and assisted Dunn in having a drunk-driving charge quashed.

All three employees were subsequently fired.

In his affidavit signed at the Gallo Manor police station in Johannesburg in January last year, the whistle-blower lays out how Abdullah allegedly gradually drew him into a world of murky deals culminating in bribery.

Asked why Acsa had waited almost one and a half years to lay a criminal complaint, Kekana said: "Internal investigations and disciplinary processes had to be followed and the outcomes thereof had to inform the decision to lay charges."

Dunn has left the company while Cassim appealed internally and Perkins is fighting her dismissal through the CCMA.

Kekana said Cassim's appeal had been concluded and he had been informed of the outcome.

She would not elaborate, but Cassim said: "It is now at the CCMA."

Kekana said Perkins's case was with the CCMA "and the due processes of CCMA must take their course".

While Dunn did not want to comment, Cassim said he welcomed the investigation as he hoped it would prove his innocence.

"The commercial-related aspects for which I was charged [were] correctly approved by the personnel mandated to do so, who are part of the regional structure that does not report to me but the commercial manager at our regional office."

Hawks spokeswoman Captain Anelisa Feni confirmed the investigation, but declined to comment further.

Source: Herald via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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