NATIONAL NEWS - In a twist in events, former ANC MP Vincent Smith handed himself over to police in Alberton on Thursday, appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court and was granted R 30 000 bail for allegedly benefitting off a relationship with Bosasa (now known as African Global Operations) officials.
The accused faces charges related to fraud and corruption linked to dealings he had with corruption-accused officials at Bosasa, now known as African Global Operations.
Following a brief appearance at the commercial crimes court, the accused was granted bail and is expected back in court on October 14.
Part of his bail arrangement was that he submit his passport and not change his physical address without adequate notice.
The fraud charges relate to suspected non-disclosure of benefits he received from Bosasa officials.
While Smith has been referred to as a ‘senior’ ANC official in reports, the EFF’s Julius Malema slammed the title calling for “real” senior politicians to be arrested in the Bosasa probes.
“Current and former ministers, they are the ones who must be arrested and be referred to as senior politicians, not some deflection,” he tweeted.
Smith’s arrest was also welcomed by the UDM’s Bantu Holomisa who questioned where the long Bosasa chain ended, given that there were “honchos” in the ruling party in a similar situation.
Testifying at the commission of inquiry into state capture, Smith issued testimony focused on his failure to declare certain benefits given to him by Bosasa executives, COO Angelo Aggrizzi and the late CEO Gavin Watson.
‘It was a loan from Agrizzi, not Bosasa’
Speaking on a loan he received from former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi totalling more than R600 000, the politician said the agreement was made with Agrizzi personally and not with Bosasa.
The loan was for his daughter’s university tuition and was paid in two separate payments in 2015 and 2016.
When asked by evidence leader advocate Viwe Notshe why he borrowed money from “a company that is reported to have been involved in corruption,” Smith replied that he did not borrow money from any company.
“A loan agreement was between me and Angelo Agrizzi and there is correspondence by way of SMS,” he said.
He added that Agrizzi had asked him to help his unemployed son, saying “I do this all the time in my constituency”.
“My loan was with Angelo. Nowhere in the records of the deposit is there any reference to Bosasa.
“I had gone to Angelo Agrizzi on the basis of the relationship we created. It was never ever a Bosasa agreement.”
Smith added that, in terms of the contract, he would repay Agrizzi.
