Bosasa arrests: Five key details as Angelo Agrizzi hit with fresh charges

Angelo Agrizzi has been charged with corruption on Thursday, following the arrest of former ANC MP Vincent Smith. The politician has been a long-term beneficiary of Bosasa’s bribery operation, and following the explosive testimony shared with the State Capture Inquiry, Smith has ended up in the dock alongside Agrizzi.

Smith was eventually granted bail of R30 000 and will appear back the Palm Ridge Specialized Commercial Crimes on 14 October 2020. Smith and his company Euro Blitz was charged with corruption, as well as, fraud of about R800 000. Although he did not appear in court on Thursday, it has been confirmed that Angelo Agrizzi has also been charged:

Angelo Agrizzi facing fresh charges – but what for?

The free fence for Vincent Smith

“In October 2014, employees of BOSASA, acting on the instructions of Angelo Agrizzi and/or the late Gavin Watson, the former CEO of BOSASA, erected and installed a Full Electric Fence and Full Internet Protocol-based system to the total value of R200 000 (two hundred thousand rand) at the house of Vincent Smith situated in Roodepoort, free of charge.”

• Funneling money into Euro Blitz

“On 14 July 2015, Jacques Riaan van Zyl, an employee of BOSASA, acting on the instructions of Angelo Agrizzi, deposited an amount of R276 667.90 (two hundred and seventy-six thousand six hundred and sixty-seven rand, ninety cents) in cash into the First National Bank account of private firm Euro Blitz, for the benefit of Vincent Smith.”

• Bribery in action

“On 5 August 2016, Angelo Agrizzi issued an instruction to Christo van Wyk, an attorney practicing as such under the name and style of Van Wyk Van Deventer Incorporated: Agrizzi said: ‘Could you please effect a payment (Settlement) from the trust funds you have currently under the Bosasa Operations (Pty) Ltd account into an account for Euro Blitz?'”

• Angelo Agrizzi created an a ‘indebtment’

“The gratifications created a situation in which Vincent Smith was indebted to BOSASA and/or Angelo Agrizzi and/or Gavin Watson, and thereby induced Vincent Smith to use his position in Parliament to act in the interest of BOSASA and/or Angelo Agrizzi and/or Gavin Watson.”

• Vincent Smith ‘incentivised’ to cheat Parliament

“Vincent Smith was incentivised by the gratifications he received from BOSASA and/or Angelo Agrizzi, and/or Gavin Watson, both for what he would do and for what he would not do while serving in his position as a member of Parliament.”

“His inaction amounts to an incomplete or biased exercise of his powers, duties and functions arising out of his legal obligations as a Parliamentarian.”

Bosasa and state capture – the 150 word recap

The Bosasa saga has been a watershed moment for South Africa. Angelo Agrizzi took the stand at the Zondo Commission in January 2019, and things changed dramatically. The company’s former COO exposed colleagues, politicians, and business figures for accepted the mountains of cash Bosasa would use to bribe clients in exchange for favourable treatment.

Vincent Smith, Nomvula Mokonyane, and even Jacob Zuma have all been accused of being on Agrizzi’s ‘list’. Furthermore, Agrizzi appeared in court soon after his revelations, and reappeared to give more testimony to the State Capture Inquiry. It was revealed that CEO Gavin Watson had orchestrated a complex bribery network running to the heart of Parliament.

Watson died in tragic circumstances more than 13 months ago. Since then, the Zondo Commission has been sifting through the evidence to determine which Bosasa favourites would be charged. It begins with Vincent Smith, and quite possibly, more senior ANC members will also have to face the music soon.