Angelo Agrizzi says he'll appeal court's decision to deny him bail

A day after the Palm Ridge magistrate's court denied bail to Angelo Agrizzi, the former Bosasa COO's lawyers have filed an application to appeal the decision.

Magistrate Phillip Venter denied bail on Wednesday to the Bosasa whistle-blower who has been charged with corruption.

Agrizzi was formally joined in the case with his co-accused, ANC MP Vincent Smith, who is charged with corruption and fraud.

The corruption charge relates to gratifications Agrizzi allegedly gave to Smith in exchange for the use of the MP's political influence to shield Bosasa from accountability for corrupting correctional services department officials who awarded contracts worth billions to Bosasa.

Agrizzi's attorney Daniel Witz confirmed on Thursday that Agrizzi had filed an application to appeal the bail decision before the high court in Johannesburg.

“We are waiting for the transcript of yesterday's bail proceedings. We will thereafter approach the court to get a date for the appeal,” Witz said on Thursday.

The NPA's investigating directorate acknowledged receiving the application.

The state had opposed bail for Agrizzi on Wednesday, arguing that he had failed to disclose the extent of his assets in SA and offshore. Prosecutor Arno Rossouw argued that the court needed sufficient information to ensure a bail applicant would not abscond.

“The problem is not that the applicant [Agrizzi] has assets offshore. The problem is that he failed to declare those assets to the court when he applied for bail,” he said.

However, Agrizzi said the assets transferred offshore were with the blessing of the SA Reserve Bank and they were investments.

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