Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court sitting at Palm Ridge. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency(ANA)
Following his wife Debbie’s claims that someone had attempted to kill her husband while he was in police custody, former Bosasa chief operations officer Angelo Agrizzi on Friday gave a blow-by-blow account of his medical condition in hospital as he continued his recovery.
Agrizzi was hospitalised in October after suffering a heart attack while in police custody.
This was after he was denied bail by the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, in relation to his failure to disclose that he moved millions into a bank account in Italy, where he purchased a luxurious property and car.
In October magistrate Philip Venter deemed Agrizzi a flight risk and denied him bail but the ruling was overturned by South Gauteng High Court Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng two weeks later.
On Thursday, Agrizzi was supposed to appear before the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court alongside his co-accused, former ANC MP Vincent Smith, on corruption charges related to monies allegedly paid to Smith not to oppose Bosasa during Parliament portfolio committee meetings.
The court issued a warrant of arrest for Agrizzi, but this would not be enforced until his next court appearance, following a request to the court by his lawyers.
Speaking from his hospital bed on Friday, Agrizzi said he was unable to walk and was battling and that the hospital was not a place that he wanted to be in.
“I’ve been lying here for about 30, 40, days now.
“It’s not nice, it’s a bit much but I’m stronger and stronger than ever, I’ve got a good mind, we'll fight it and I’ll come out stronger and I’ve got a lot of work to do still,” said Agrizzi.
He said he underwent numerous medical procedures, including dialysis, and having his blood taken.
“I have blood tests two, three, times a day.
“Everything else is under control, it’s the kidneys that were problematic at one stage,” he said.
Agrizzi said the hospital in which he was convalescing had even run out of adrenaline at one stage as he had to be given around 50 millilitres of adrenaline every hour to get him up.
He said the team of doctors and nurses were “unbelievable” in saving his life and ensuring that he was well taken care of.
Agrizzi referred to two warnings which he received around the time of his testimony at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
His lawyer Daniel Witz said there were ongoing investigations into what happened to him during his time in police custody.
Political Bureau