Johannesburg – The Gupta family on Saturday said that no charges have ever been brought against them, referring to comments allegedly made by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan to Treasury staff on Friday.
Gordhan allegedly told Treasury staff at a meeting that the Guptas were attacking him because of the work the department was doing.
Gupta family spokesperson, Gary Naidoo, said in a statement that the family is disappointed by the comments.
“We have repeatedly pointed out that our family is a victim of a political campaign against it,” the statement reads.
The family says it believes that “narrative has been constructed” against them and accused media houses of contributing to a “flawed perception” of them.
“We repeat the challenge to our detractors – if you have evidence against us, please bring it,” the family’s response states.
It further goes on to say that the family has no interest in politics - only business - while also requesting that the media leave the family alone.
The Guptas say they fully believe in the rule of law and would gladly answer to any allegations made against them.
News24 reported on Friday that Gordhan apparently also explained to staff that the Hawks had a faulty legal reading of the charges against him and there was no legal basis for their investigation.
Gordhan's staff meeting came days after it emerged that the Hawks had asked him, his former deputy at Sars Ivan Pillay and four other senior former Sars officials to provide warning statements which can be viewed as a precursor to a suspect being charged criminally.
News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptas-respond-we-have-never-been-charged-20160827
Gordhan allegedly told Treasury staff at a meeting that the Guptas were attacking him because of the work the department was doing.
Gupta family spokesperson, Gary Naidoo, said in a statement that the family is disappointed by the comments.
“We have repeatedly pointed out that our family is a victim of a political campaign against it,” the statement reads.
The family says it believes that “narrative has been constructed” against them and accused media houses of contributing to a “flawed perception” of them.
“We repeat the challenge to our detractors – if you have evidence against us, please bring it,” the family’s response states.
It further goes on to say that the family has no interest in politics - only business - while also requesting that the media leave the family alone.
The Guptas say they fully believe in the rule of law and would gladly answer to any allegations made against them.
News24 reported on Friday that Gordhan apparently also explained to staff that the Hawks had a faulty legal reading of the charges against him and there was no legal basis for their investigation.
Gordhan's staff meeting came days after it emerged that the Hawks had asked him, his former deputy at Sars Ivan Pillay and four other senior former Sars officials to provide warning statements which can be viewed as a precursor to a suspect being charged criminally.
News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptas-respond-we-have-never-been-charged-20160827
