An accountant from South Africa who was looking into high-level misconduct cases was assassinated alongside his son. The liquidator for Bosasa, a business involved in multiple scandals involving government contracts, was Cloete Murray. Additionally, he served as a liquidator for businesses connected to the powerful Gupta brothers, who reject allegations of bribery.
Cloete Murray’s Demise
Police are investigating whether Mr. Murray’s demise and these crime probes are connected. While traveling in Johannesburg with his 28-year-old legal advisor son Thomas, Mr. Murray was assassinated by an unidentified man on Saturday. His son passed away at the scene, and Mr. Murray was brought to the hospital but later passed away from his wounds, according to a police spokesperson quoted in local media. According to South African media, the duo was traveling in their white Toyota Prado toward their Pretoria residence.
As a court-appointed business liquidator, Mr. Murray’s duties included investigating bankrupt companies’ accounts, recovering assets, and reporting any criminal activity. Bosasa, a government contractor with a focus on jail services, was one of those businesses.
During Jacob Zuma’s nine-year presidency, from 2009 to 2018, the business corrupted politicians and government employees heavily to obtain government contracts, according to the famous Zondo Commission into Corruption. Although Mr. Zuma declined to assist in the investigation, he has refuted allegations of wrongdoing. The current president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, declared in 2018 that he would give back a $35,000 contribution from Bosasa. He had misled parliament about the gift, according to an anti-corruption investigator, but the country’s High Court rejected that conclusion.
Cloete Murray Served As A Liquidator
In addition, Mr. Murray served as a liquidator for businesses connected to the Gupta siblings. The Ajay, Rajesh, and Atul brothers attempted to sway political and financial choices during Mr. Zuma’s presidency through a practice known as “state capture,” according to the Zondo commission. The Gupta family relocated from India to South Africa in 1993.
They were the owners of a diverse collection of businesses that had lucrative contracts with state-owned firms and government agencies in that country. The Gupta brothers have been detained in the UAE, but the South African government is presently working to have them extradited to South Africa so they can face charges. They have refuted claims that they paid kickbacks to obtain contracts.
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