Workaround: handle the RadGanttView.GraphicalViewItemFormatting event:

    Private Sub GraphicalViewItemFormatting(sender As Object, e As GanttViewGraphicalViewItemFormattingEventArgs)
        Dim taskItem As GanttViewTaskItemElement = TryCast(e.ItemElement, GanttViewTaskItemElement)
        If taskItem IsNot Nothing Then
            taskItem.LeftLinkHandleElement.Opacity = 0
            taskItem.RightLinkHandleElement.Opacity = 0
        End If 
    End Sub