High Court grants bail to Angelo Agrizzi
The High Court in Johannesburg has granted former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi bail.
The bail amount will equal to the value of a property he owns in Italy.
Agrizzi has been in custody for two weeks since he was denied bail at the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court.
The magistrate’s court ruled that he was a flight risk as he did not declare all his overseas assets when he applied for bail.
A day after his initial bail judgement Agrizzi was admitted to hospital and is still receiving treatment at a private facility.
Agrizzi’s lawyer Daniel Witz argued that the Agrizzi should be released on bail, saying that the doctors cannot even move freely to do their work.
Handing down his judgement on Friday, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng said the previous judgement conflated public opinion with the merits of the case.
Mokgoatlheng was referring to Magistrate Venter comparing Agrizzi to the Gupta brothers.
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"In my view, the magistrate unintentionally traversed the notoriety that were in the public domain and were not ventilated in the court of law.
"This is a patent misdirection on the facts of this particular case in comparing it to untested notorious events in the public domain," Mokgoatlheng explained.
Mokgoatlheng believes the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court misdirected itself both in fact and in law.
Mokgoatlheng ordered that Agrizzi must also hand over his passports to the investigating officer and must check with the police on December 3rd.
He is also banned from leaving Gauteng or going near any airport.
"It is further ordered that the apparent be immediately released from custody.
"The appellant acknowledges that he will be remanded in custody within 48 hours if he does not meet the bail conditions by 10 November.
"Will over all passport and travel documents before November 3rd. The appellant does not approach within 150 metres any international departure point".
Agrizzi will return to the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on December 3.
He is accused of bribing several high-profile individuals, including former African National Congress (ANC) MP Vincent Smith.