Former chief operations officer of Bosasa Angelo Agrizzi Photo: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA)
Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi has been declared fit to stand trial after a report released by Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital found that he is capable of contributing meaningfully to his own defence.
A psychiatric evaluation recommended that he be allowed comfortable breaks or that the court sits in shorter sessions in order to accommodate any chance of discomfort.
Last year, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, ordered that he be referred for mental observation to determine his fitness to stand trial.
Yesterday, the former Bosasa COO-turned-whistle-blower, who exposed the company’s dirty dealings under late boss Gavin Watson, appeared in the Pretoria High Court after being on the sidelines for over three years after falling ill.
Agrizzi, who previously appeared before the state capture commission, faces corruption charges relating to a number of payments made to former ANC Member of Parliament Vincent Smith, who has been out on R30 000 bail in the same case.
Last week, the NPA announced that the case involving Agrizzi’s R800 000 matter had been transferred to the High Court of the Gauteng Division in Pretoria.
Furthermore, he is also accused of corruption involving R1.8 billion’s worth of dodgy prison tenders won by his former company between 2004 and 2007.
The report has found that he “is capable of understanding court proceedings”.
Both of Agrizzi’s matters have now been joined and postponed to April 26.
Last year, Dr Herman Edeling, a neurosurgeon who examined him, indicated that he allegedly suffered from impaired brain function resulting in cognitive impairment adding that there was a lack of oxygen and blood flow to his brain which affected the domains of his cerebral function.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za