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By Baldwin Ndaba 
13h ago
Johannesburg – Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi criticized a regional magistrate for failing to consider his chronic medical condition when he was denied bail in the Palm Ridge Commercial Crimes Court on October 14.
Agrizzi’s legal advisor, Mannie Witz, made the remarks in South Gauteng Superior Court in Johannesburg on Monday while his client is under heavy police surveillance at the hospital after suffering a heart attack last week and remains in critical condition.
Agrizzi faces corruption charges for allegedly giving bribes to former ANC MP Vincent Smith.
Smith, who is charged with Agrizzi, received a bail of 30,000 rand.
However, Agrizzi was denied bail after the state made statements in court that it had not disclosed that he had made various investments in Italy, including buying a house, a luxury car and that he had more R13.5 million in cash in foreign accounts. .
In his arguments, Witz said that the state received medical certificates from his client.
“The medical certificates were from Agrizzi’s specialist doctor / pulmonologist stating his chronic medical condition. Agrizzi required continuous use of oxygen.
“It is respectfully alleged that, in this regard, the learned regional magistrate (Phillip Venter) erred in failing to grant Agrizzi bail along with conditions, in view of the indisputable evidence coupled with the severe risks of comorbidities and the increasing increase in Covid-19 cases, particularly in the Johannesburg Central Prison, also known as Sun City, ”Witz said.
He said Agrizzi’s continued incarceration, if released from the hospital, would likely make him prone to contracting Covid-19 while in jail.
Witz also argued that Venter, in denying Agrizzi bail on October 14, allegedly failed to take into account that there had been an agreement between the defense and the State regarding Agrizzi’s surrender, as well as his appearance in court on October 14. October.
It also added that there had been an agreement between the State and the defense regarding the setting of the bond together with the “unopposed” conditions.
“The learned regional magistrate also made an error in that in terms of section 60 (11) (b) of the Criminal Procedure Law, Law 55 of 1977, there was no evidence under oath before the court by the official investigator as to the strength or weakness of the state case against Agrizzi and there were no details that could persuade a court at the hearing on a bond application to express even a prima facie opinion regarding the matter and the application should have received The benefit of the doubt, more particularly considering the defense alleges that with respect to the alleged crime and the alleged gratuity, it was the late Gavin Watson / or Bosasa who made the payment and not Agrizzi. The funds were owned and belonged to the late Gavin Watson, ”Witz said.
He also argued that Agrizzi made his foreign investments with the approval of the South African Reserve Bank and South African Revenue Services.
In opposing the bail, State Attorney Arno Rossouw asked the Superior Court to deny him bail, arguing that Agrizzi did not make a full disclosure of his foreign assets when he applied for bail.
The trial was postponed to Friday.
Political Bureau
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