BOSASA
The Active Citizens Forum has reacted to the recent sentencing of former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi, describing the outcome as a "bitter-sweet" development. On Thursday, Agrizzi was handed a five-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to multiple charges, in a virtual appearance before the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria.
The Active Citizens Forum has described the 5-year-suspended sentence meted out to former Bosasa COO, Angelo Agrizzi as a "bitter-sweet" development.
On Thursday, Agrizzi was handed a suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges against him.
Agrizzi appeared virtually before the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria, and pleaded guilty to three counts of corruption and one of money laundering.
For his troubles, he was slapped with a 10-year sentence for each count of corruption, as well as 10 years for money laundering. However, these were suspended for five years, meaning he won’t spend any time in jail.
The man who gained prominence during his testimony implicating key ANC officials at the State Capture Commission is at the centre of fraud and corruption accusations alongside, former Correctional Services chief financial officer Patrick Gillingham, former Bosasa chief financial officer Andries van Tonder, and former Department of Correctional Services (DCS) commissioner Linda Mti.
The trio is linked to tenders amounting R1.8 billion awarded by the DCS to Bosasa and its subsidiaries between August 2004 and 2007.
As a result of his plea bargain, the former Bosasa COO, who has been in and out of hospital in the past few years, entered a plea deal that has seen him escape a possible 40-year jail term.
Reacting to this deal, the National Prosecuting Authority indicated that part of the deal is that Agrizzi helps the NPA with some of its key investigations, with the prosecuting body saying his deteroriating health has played a key role in the deal.
Responding to the plea deal, spokesperson for the Active Citizens Forum, Dennis Bloem said whilst the forum welcomes Agrizzi’s plea bargaining agreement , the deal has become "bitter-sweet" due to the serious nature of the charges against him.
“We view this as a bitter sweet agreement. Firstly, Agrizzi is brave enough to fall on his sword and plead guilty on his part for the devastating looting that took place at Correctional Services.
“Secondly, Agrizzi thought he was a whistleblower exposing gross corruption that took place at Correctional Services and even at other Government Departments. Unfortunately, he misjudged the situation,” Bloem stated.
During his explosive testimony at the Zondo Commission, Agrizzi implicated senior ANC and government officials who received kick-backs from deals awarded to Bosasa.
The former COO-turned State Capture Commission whistleblower said over his 19-year stint at Bosasa, bribery, fraud and corruption were the order of the day.
Gwede Mantashe,Nomvula Mokonyane, former SA Airways chair Dudu Myeni and former Sars boss Tom Moyane were some of the big names fingered during Agrizzi's testimony at the Zondo Commission.
Bloem stated: “When he appeared before the Zondo Commission spilling the beans, the whole country was shocked and could not believe the extent of corruption that took place in government departments and Agrizzi's explosive revelations, forthrightness and not holding back.We are happy that there is a plea bargaining agreement between IDAC and Agrizzi, which includes an agreement to secure a conviction of all the other suspects in the Bosasa matter.”
