Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance (DA) laid more criminal charges relating to the #GuptaLeaks, the latest relating to the controversial wedding of Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia in 2013.

AmaBhungane and Scorpio on Friday revealed how R30m that was supposed to go to a dairy project in Vrede in the Free State was diverted through a web of Gupta-related companies to pay for the wedding, while Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane was still an MEC in the Free State.

The wedding initially gained infamy when the Guptas' guests were allowed to use the Waterkloof Air Force base as a port of entry.

DA MP and spokesperson on finance David Maynier spent most of the weekend with legal advisors to draft an affidavit, which he presented to the police when he laid charges at the Cape Town Central Police Station in Buitenkant Street, Cape Town on Monday morning.

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The charges are against Zwane, Atul Gupta, Ajay Gupta, Rajesh Gupta and their business associates Ronica Ragavan and Kamal Vasram.

The charges include racketeering, money laundering, assisting another to benefit from the proceeds of unlawful activities, and acquiring, possessing or using the proceeds of unlawful activities in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (No 121 of 1998); and submitting false, or untrue, tax returns in terms of the Tax Administration Act (No 28 of 2011).

"It is grotesque that public funds that are meant to assist the poor were allegedly use to pay for the Guptas' lavish wedding at Sun City in 2013," said Maynier outside the police station after he laid the charges.

Maynier has also written to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to ask that they investigate tax evasion relating to allegations that the wedding expenses were irregularly deducted as business expenses.

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More DA targets

Maynier also opened a case in March last year against Ajay and Atul Gupta and President Jacob Zuma's son, Duduzane, after former deputy minister of finance Mcebisi Jonas said they have offered him the position of finance minister before Nhlanhla Nene was fired from that post in December 2015.

"That case is ongoing and it is investigated by the Hawks," said Maynier.

The case Maynier opened on Monday is the latest in a slew of cases following in the wake of the #GuptaLeaks.

In May, DA leader Mmusi Maimane laid charges against Jacob Zuma and 11 others in terms of the Prevention of Criminal Activities Act for allegedly receiving benefits, as well as for racketeering and treason.

Thereafter the DA MP and spokesperson on transport Manny De Freitas laid charges of corruption against Sfiso Buthelezi, Deputy Minister of Finance, for allegedly having benefited from tenders awarded to Prasa. He was previously Prasa's board chairperson.

The DA also laid charges against three ministers, Faith Muthambi, Lynne Brown and Des van Rooyen, and two officials, Dan Mantsha and Bruce Koloane relating to further revelations.

The DA also laid a charge with Parliament's ethics committee, relating to a Gupta-sponsored trip to Dubai for Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo.

Dlodlo admitted that she went on the trip and that she did not declare it.

The DA also laid a charge at the ethics committee and public protector against Zwane for not declaring a Gupta-sponsored trip to Dubai.

The Economic Freedom Fighters laid a charge against Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, Jacob Zuma and the Guptas, relating to alleged corruption at Transnet.



