Details of an explosive German probe into the
country's controversial arms deal have been revealed by the Democratic Alliance.
The documents confirm that the Germans are probing whether millions of dollars
in bribes were paid to senior South African officials and politicians, including
cabinet ministers.
Many of these allegations have previously surfaced in the local and foreign
media, but this is the first glimpse of the official version of the German
probe, which has failed to get help from the South African
government.
The documents released yesterday by the DA spokesperson on the arms deal, Eddie
Trent, were apparently sent by German prosecutors to Swiss authorities last
year.
Trent obtained them this week.
No verification could be obtained from German authorities yesterday, but Trent
said he had no reason to doubt their authenticity.
A letter to the Swiss states that bribes were paid to secure the contract to
supply the South African Navy with corvettes for the German Frigate Consortium,
led by ThyssenKrupp.
It said this was done by shelf companies and that a "commission agreement" was
reached with a letterbox (shelf) company, Mallar Inc, registered in Liberia.
With acknowledgements to
Chiara Carter and The Star.