NPA Moving 'With Speed' In State Capture Investigation

The NPA says it will meet with its foreign counterparts for assistance.
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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is moving "with speed" in its investigations into state capture, and will meet with its counterparts in foreign jurisdictions for assistance, Eyewitness News (EWN) reported on Monday.

Ports of entry have also been put on alert to stop the Guptas and other suspects from leaving the country, sources told EWN.

The NPA's Luvuyo Mfaku told EWN: "There are still outstanding investigations but they are moving with speed in terms of ensuring that those investigations are finalised. We need to interact with our counterparts in foreign jurisdictions for assistance."

The NPA's asset forfeiture unit (AFU) obtained preservation orders against the Gupta-linked firm Trillian and global consultancy company McKinsey.

According to City Press, the AFU is going after about R50-billion worth of assets thought to be obtained through state capture.

News24 reported on Saturday that the NPA had seized control of a dairy farm in the Free State and the bank accounts of the Guptas and companies co-owned by Duduzane Zuma. The farm was reportedly used by the Guptas to fleece the state of R220-million through an emerging farmers' empowerment scheme.

The Free State agriculture department reportedly paid a Gupta-linked firm R220-million to manage a scheme to assist black emerging farmers, but the scheme, according to the AFU, was "designed to defraud and steal monies from the department".

The NPA told TimesLive that no arrest warrants had been issued, but that around 20 prosecutors were working on the state capture investigations. There are at least 17 ongoing cases related to state capture, TimesLive reported.