President Jacob Zuma congratulates Bongani Bongo after he was sworn in as state security minister in 2017.
Former state security minister and ANC MP Bongani Bongo has denied allegations that he tried to offer evidence leader of parliament’s state capture inquiry, advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, a bribe.
Bongo appeared in the Cape Town magistrate’s court on Thursday, facing 13 charges of corruption.
Two years ago the Sunday Times reported he allegedly offered a “blank cheque” to the evidence leader of parliament’s state capture inquiry, Vanara, in exchange for derailing a probe into mismanagement and corruption at Eskom.
But in an interview with eNCA after he appeared in court, Bongo said Vanara did not have the capacity to stop an inquiry sanctioned by parliament.
“The allegations that I attempted to give a blank cheque, I don’t think I have that blank cheque and I don’t have any money that can pay for bribery,” he told the broadcaster.
“I don’t have any interest to issues that relate to Eskom,” Bongo told the publication.
Sowetan
