The "Gupta leaks" e-mails that blew the lid on the extent of the Gupta family’s influence over vital state institutions during the Zuma presidency have gone international.
As deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo considered whether the e-mails could be admitted into evidence at the inquiry into alleged state capture‚ the commission heard on Thursday that the e-mails were already under investigation by "American authorities".
A ruling by Zondo that the e-mails can be submitted may pave the way for South African law-enforcement agencies to access them to help in their own investigations.
It is understood that the Hawks have not yet been given access to hard drives containing about 200‚000 e-mails‚ allegedly sent and received by multiple Gupta family members and their associates.
US authorities probing leaked Gupta emails
The "Gupta leaks" e-mails that blew the lid on the extent of the Gupta family’s influence over vital state institutions during the Zuma presidency have gone international.
As deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo considered whether the e-mails could be admitted into evidence at the inquiry into alleged state capture‚ the commission heard on Thursday that the e-mails were already under investigation by "American authorities".
A ruling by Zondo that the e-mails can be submitted may pave the way for South African law-enforcement agencies to access them to help in their own investigations.
It is understood that the Hawks have not yet been given access to hard drives containing about 200‚000 e-mails‚ allegedly sent and received by multiple Gupta family members and their associates.
As far back as October 2017‚ it was revealed that the US and UK were investigating foreign properties and bank accounts of the Gupta family‚ while the FBI and the US justice department were investigating the Guptas and their relatives living in the US.
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority‚ National Crime Agency and Serious Fraud Office were investigating allegations that the family used UK banks in Dubai and Hong Kong to launder money looted from South African taxpayers.
Revealed in June 2017‚ the e-mails detailed how the Gupta brothers won billions of rands in contracts from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and influenced government decisions‚ including the appointment of ministers and SOE boards‚ giving rise to the term "state capture".
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