By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Pretoria high court has ruled that former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi be referred for mental observation to determine his fitness to stand trial in the Bosasa tender fraud case.
The fraud and corruption case against Agrizzi and his three co-accused, which include former commissioner of Correctional Services Linda Mti, the department’s former CFO Patrick Gillingham and former Bosasa CFO Andries van Tonder, relates to four contracts awarded to Bosasa worth R1.8 billion.
The contracts were awarded to the controversial facilities management company between 2004 and 2007.
Agrizzi has not been able to attend two court cases where he is an accused since 2020 due to ill health.
In another case, Agrizzi’s corruption trial was separated from his co-accused, former ANC MP Vincent Smith, in 2021.
The Investigating Directorate (ID) said the charges stem from Bosasa, through Agrizzi, offering Smith gratifications in the form of security upgrades to his Gauteng home and ‘acceptance of cash transferred into his personal bank account via the bank account of his company, Euroblitz.
Agrizzi appeared virtually before Judge David Makhoba on Thursday.
“Handing down his judgment, Judge Makhoba said that it was not for the court to decide whether a person is mentally fit to stand trial or not, instead, it is for the professionals to decide. The Judge also declared that it’s the state’s responsibility to ensure that Agrizzi is safely taken to a mental institution and that he takes his medication”.
Investigating Directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka said the court wants professionals to decide if Agrizzi is fit to stand trial.
Court rules that Agrizzi be referred for mental assessment pic.twitter.com/xGKtI8Xair
— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) September 28, 2023
The matter was postponed until October 31 for the results of Agrizzi’s mental fitness test.