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Former Chief Operating Officer of Bosasa, Angelo Agrizzi. Photo: Felix Dlangamandla (Netwerk24)
- Angelo Agrizzi he was denied bail after the magistrate determined that there was a prima facie case against him.
- The complainant appeared alongside former ANC MP Vincent Smith.
- Agrizzi faces a corruption charge for the payments he made to Smith while he (Smith) was a deputy.
The Palm Ridge Magistrates Court Commercial Crimes Court denied bail to former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi on Wednesday.
Justice Phillip Venter said he was satisfied that a prima facie A case had been filed against Agrizzi. Agrizzi appeared alongside his co-defendant, former ANC MP Vincent Smith, on Wednesday.
However, Venter postponed the Smith affair until December 3, while the court heard Agrizzi’s formal request for bail. It was Smith’s second appearance, while Agrizzi made his first appearance.
Agrizzi was unable to appear alongside Smith at the time due to health concerns. Smith was released on bail of R30,000 after turning himself in to the police on October 1. Smith faces one charge of fraud and one charge of corruption, while his company, Euroblitz 48, also faces one charge of corruption.
Agrizzi faces a corruption charge for the payments he made to Smith while he (Smith) was a deputy. Smith allegedly received payments in the amount of R800,000 through Euro Blitz 48.
Security cameras and an electric fence are alleged to have been installed at Smith’s home in Roodepoort, News24 previously reported.
The value of the facility is estimated at 40,000 rand. Smith has previously maintained his innocence and has denied the allegations. On Wednesday, Agrizzi, who was wearing a dark gray suit and purple tie, arrived at court with a mobile oxygen unit.
He had a grim figure and looked like a shadow of his normally energetic self, as seen during his appearances before the Zondo commission at the state capture last year and in other court appearances.
During his request for bail, the State objected to bail, saying that Agrizzi was a flight risk.
The state said that Agrizzi had not disclosed information about the value of his assets.
READ | Angelo Agrizzi’s Crypto Currency, Millions and Assets Abroad: Here’s Why State Bail Opposes
He said that Agrizzi, along with his wife, Deborah, transferred millions to overseas accounts between December 2018 and January 2019; this was before and during his testimony before the commission of inquiry on the state capture.
He also bought property in Italy, worth 15 million rand, and allegedly also disposed of assets, including Ferrari sports cars, the court heard. Agrizzi also allegedly transferred millions of rands to cryptocurrency accounts and moved millions more to Italy.
The state accused Agrizzi of failing to adequately disclose any of this during his February 2019 bail request, in a separate corruption case.
The state said that, in light of the evidence of money movements abroad, Agrizzi may be a flight risk.
Meanwhile, Agrizzi’s attorney, Mannie Witz, was unhappy with the state’s decision to object to bail, saying it was “unexpected.”
Witz told the court that his client denied that he ever intended to mislead the courts. He said the court should consider his client’s medical condition and comorbidities amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
It also said that there was nothing adverse or sinister about Agrizzi’s assets, saying they were investments. But the state said the problem was not that Agrizzi had assets, but that he did not reveal them.
