Cloete Murray, 50, a South African accountant who was looking into high-level corruption cases was shot and killed along with his son. He was also the liquidator for Bosasa, a business involved in multiple scandals involving government contracts.
Additionally, he served as a liquidator for businesses connected to the powerful Gupta brothers, who reject allegations of bribery.
Police are investigating whether Murray’s murder and these corruption probes are connected.
While travelling in Johannesburg with his 28-year-old legal advisor son Thomas, Mr. Murray was shot by unidentified shooters 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, they were travelling in their white Toyota Prado towards 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 prison services, was one of those businesses. During Jacob Zuma’s nine-year presidency, from 2009 to 2018, the business bribed politicians and government employees heavily in order to obtain government contracts, according to the landmark Zondo Commission into Corruption. After banks shuttered its accounts, Bosasa entered voluntary liquidation.
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 Zuma’s presidency through a practise 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.
