Staff Reporter.
Former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi is scheduled to be examined by an independent pulmonologist appointed by the State on Thursday.
His fraud case came before the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge on Wednesday.
Agrizzi hasn’t appeared in court since 2020, due to his apparent ill health and he was absent on Wednesday again. A warrant for his arrest was issued but stayed again.
The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Palm Ridge on Wednesday adjourned the matter to 12 July 2022, after the state informed the court that Agrizzi would be examined on Thursday, 19 May 2022, by an independent pulmonologist, appointed by the state, to determine his fitness to stand trial.
Agrizzi stands accused of offering bribes, on behalf of Bosasa, to former ANC MP Vincent Smith in exchange for his influence and political protection as the then chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on correctional services.
Bosasa scored contracts totalling just over R1 billion from the Department of Correctional Services between 2004 and 2007.
Agrizzi and Smith’s trial had to be separated due to Agrizzi’s ill health.
Smith’s case was postponed to 5 July 2022 by the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court in April this year.
He faces charges of tax fraud, money laundering, corruption and breach of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act.