Ex-Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi pleads guilty to corruption, avoids prison term

Zuko Komisa

Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi pleaded guilty to corruption and money laundering charges, avoiding jail time due to a wholly suspended sentence agreement.
The plea covered over R1.8 billion in Bosasa prison tenders and kickbacks paid to ex-ANC MP Vincent Smith, resulting in 40 years of suspended sentences.
Agrizzi’s suspended sentence is conditional on his cooperation with authorities and provision of truthful testimony as a key State witness in future trials.

Former Bosasa Chief Operating Officer Angelo Agrizzi has been handed a wholly suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to multiple charges of corruption and money laundering.

Appearing virtually before the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday, Agrizzi, who wore an oxygen mask during the proceedings, avoided immediate custodial time primarily due to his failing health.

The court, presided over by Judge Mokhine Mosopa, accepted the plea and sentencing agreement after scrutinising the State and defence regarding Agrizzi’s medical condition, a decisive factor in the decision for a suspended sentence.

Agrizzi pleaded guilty to three counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.

The corruption charges relate to over R1.8 billion worth of prison tenders secured by Bosasa and its subsidiaries between 2004 and 2007.
He also admitted to corruption involving alleged kickbacks paid by Bosasa to former ANC MP Vincent Smith.

The sentences totalled 40 years—10 years for each corruption count and 10 years for money laundering.

However, these sentences were wholly suspended on the condition that Agrizzi fully cooperates with authorities on ongoing investigations and provides truthful testimony as a State witness in any future trials.