Agrizzi to apologise for accusing official of receiving bribe from Bosasa

Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi on the stand at the state capture inquiry in Parktown Johannesburg. File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA)

Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi on the stand at the state capture inquiry in Parktown Johannesburg. File picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Sep 3, 2019

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Johannesburg - Former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi is expected to apologise to a Correctional Services official who he named as one of the individuals who received bribes from facilities management company Bosasa. 

On Tuesday, chairperson for the State Capture commission deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said he would not grant Correctional Services official Jabu Sishuba her request for Agrizzi to publicly apologise to her. 

Zondo said this was not necessary because Agrizzi had admitted in a sworn affidavit that he had erred in naming Sishuba as a recipient of bribes which were paid out by Bosasa CEO Gavin Watson. 

Agrizzi is expected to return to the commission and has assured Zondo that he will repeat his apology for mentioning Sishuba in public. 

“Since Mr Agrizzi has undertaken to make the admission or to repeat his admission and to repeat his apology when he comes back and since he is going to be back in the commission and he has said he takes full responsibility for the error I see no reason why I should make an order compelling Mr Agrizzi to come and do what he is going to do anyway,” Zondo said. 

“With regard to whether or not I should order him to make an apology with regards to specific terms sought by Ms Sihuba, I am unable to accede to that request. I think it is enough that Mr Agrizzi has said he made an error by suggesting Ms Sishuba had received bribes from Bosasa. He said he takes full responsibility, he says he apologises to Ms Sishuba and he says he will repeat all that when he comes back to the commission. 

“Although Mr Agrizzi will come and publicly apologise to Ms Sishuba in due course and make it clear that he was mistaken when he said she had received bribes, it is not necessary to grant the orders or it is inappropriate to make the orders that Ms Sishuba asked for. In this circumstances the application is refused,” Zondo said. 

Agrizzi accused a number of high profile individuals of receiving bribes from Bosasa for various purposes including securing correctional services contracts. Former NPA officials Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba and Lawrence Mrwebi were also accused of being recipients of bribes. 

Watson died in a mysterious car crash in August. 

The inquiry continues. 

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