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Vincent Smith (former ANC MP) and Angelo Agrizzi (former Bosasa COO) appear in Palm Ridge Magistrates Court for corruption and fraud cases on October 14, 2020 in Palm Ridge, South Africa. Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi reportedly appeared alongside former ANC MP Vincent Smith. (Photo by Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)
Angelo Agrizzi de Bosasa was denied bail Wednesday as he faces corruption charges in connection with alleged bribery he administered to former ANC MP Vincent Smith.
Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi first appeared in court on charges of fraud and corruption on Wednesday, along with former ANC MP Vincent Smith, who allegedly received a series of bribes from Agrizzi.
Unfortunately for Agrizzi, unlike his co-defendant who is currently on bail, the State successfully argued that Agrizzi was a flight risk due to the resources at its disposal.
Agrizzi turned himself in at the Brackendowns police station in Johannesburg on Thursday morning. After being indicted, an ailing Agrizzi, with an oxygen unit in tow, made an appearance in Palm Ridge Magistrates Court in Ekurhuleni alongside Smith.
Smith did not stay long as his matter was postponed until December 3, and the court stayed to hear Agrizzi’s request for bail. Earlier this month, Smith pleaded not guilty one count of corruption and one count of fraud.
Agrizzi is accused of using his position at Bosasa to transfer money to Smith, through the latter’s company, Euro Blitz 48.
The transactions included security improvements to Smith’s home in 2014 and totaled R800,000, the court heard. His goal was to motivate the former chairman of the Parliament’s Correctional Services Committee to minimize the irregular distribution of security offers to Bosasa by the department.
The payments were intended as “undue incentives in support of an ongoing plan to influence” Smith to use his position in Parliament as chair of the Correctional Services Portfolio Committee for the benefit of Bosasa, according to the indictment.
The State requested the preventive detention of Agrizzi. This was because the 52-year-old had not been honest in declaring all his assets, including assets worth at least R24 million, which he has stored in overseas accounts.
Agrizzi is already out on bail of 20,000 rand, in connection with allegations of corruption, fraud and money laundering with some of his former Bosasa colleagues. And the State highlighted the fact that even in the request for bail for this ongoing matter, it did not reveal all its assets.
“The problem is not that the applicant has assets abroad, the problem is that he did not disclose those assets when he requested the bond. He painted a picture of someone who has R2 million in movable assets and R14 million in fixed assets in South Africa, ”stated prosecutor Arno Rossouw.
The insinuation was that Agrizzi had systematically moved those assets over the few years, in preparation for a comfortable life in Italy.
However, Agrizzi legal representative, Mannie Witz, maintained that due to his continued cooperation with local authorities, stemming from his appearance on the Zondo Commission, Agrizzi had shown that he is not a flight risk.
“If I had not settled as a whistleblower in relation to various acts committed by Bosasa and African Global Operations, including the information and evidence that I provided in relation to this matter, with a huge risk to both my life and the safety of my family , many of these cases would not even have been investigated, ”Witz submitted, reading an affidavit written by Agrizzi in court.
Witz added that Agrizzi had his roots in South Africa because his children, partner and some of the assets were all in South Africa. The legal representative also cited Agrizzi’s poor health and comorbidities, which put him at risk of contracting Covid-19 if he were placed in preventive detention.
After considering all of those factors, the presiding magistrate, Phillip Venter, denied Agrizzi bail.
“The biggest headache for the National Tax Authority (NPA) in the ‘Gupta Saga’, and their responsibility, is extradition to South Africa to stand trial in order to account for the charges against them,” Venter said.
“I can’t help adding another name to that headache. Mr. Agrizzi, after everything has been considered, your request for bail was dismissed. “
Agrizzi is expected to remain in custody until their joint appearance with Smith on December 3.
blacksmith Y Agrizzi have testified before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry about the state capture.
In acknowledging that he received payments, Smith said the payment from “Aber Accom / Tuition” was for his daughter’s fees at Aberystwyth University in Wales. Smith claimed, however, that the money came from a personal loan agreement he had made with Agrizzi, rather than being related to Bosasa. “It was never, never a Bosasa deal,” Smith told the Zondo Commission.
In testimony in January last year, Agrizzi delivered explosive testimony, denouncing alleged beneficiaries, including Smith, who were caught in Bosasa’s corrupt tentacles. DM
