Former Bosasa COO, Angelo Agrizzi, has been denied bail by a Gauteng magistrate following his arrest on charges of corruption.
Aggrizzi, who is currently out on bail of R20 000 for another matter, is now behind bars.
Agrizzi was arrested along with former ANC MP Vincent Smith, who was granted bail of R30 000.
Smith stands accused of receiving gratifications in the form of security upgrades to his home and cash transferred into his own bank account via his business account for a company called Euroblitz 48.
Agrizzi allegedly approved these so-called gratifications.
The State opposed bail stating that Agrizzi had lied under oath on his previous affidavit.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says he also failed to disclose that his house, worth R13.5 million was owned under a trust and that he failed to pay his bond of R8.7 million.
Agrizzi also transferred nearly R12 million to an offshore account and failed to hand in his Italian Passport.
Vincent Smith and Angelo Agrizzi appearing before court this morning.
— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) October 14, 2020
The state is opposing bail for Agrizzi pic.twitter.com/NYfzIShIQK
Vincent Smith
ANC MP Vincent Smith admitted in 2018 that he had received more than R600,000 from security company Bosasa, saying it was a personal loan entered into to fund his daughter's studies.
In a media statement, Smith said that it was a personal loan that he agreed to pay back.
Smith said the loan was processed to him in two separate payments; an amount of R220,000 in 2015; and R395,000 in 2016.
He said he received no further help from Agrizzi and denied reports that Bosasa installed electric fences and a CCTV system worth some R200,000 at his home.
The NPA says Smith’s fraud charge emanates from his failure to disclose to the Registrar of parliamentary members’ interests the gratifications that he received from BOSASA, under the corrupt activities with which he, Euroblitz and Agrizzi are charged.
The matter was postponed to the 3rd of December.
In denying Agrizzi's bail, the Magistrate also paid tribute to him for blowing the whistle on corruption at the State Capture Commission.
