Suspended chief magistrate Nair wants his corruption case postponed

The corruption case of suspended chief magistrate Desmond Nair has been postponed to November 30 by the Pretoria specialised commercial crimes court.

The court provisionally postponed the corruption case for the defence to make representations as to why Nair should not be prosecuted.

“The postponement follows a request by Nair’s legal representative, Danie Dorfling,” said investigating directorate spokesperson Sindisiwe Seboka.

Nair is charged with corruption for allegedly having received gratification to the value of R200,000 in security upgrades from African Global Operations/Global Technology Systems (formerly known as Bosasa) in September 2016.

The upgrades involve an electric fence, an alarm system, perimeter beams and a CCTV system at Nair’s Pretoria home in Silverton. The state alleges that Nair was granted the upgrades for his influence to act in a dishonest, improper or unlawful manner. 

Seboka added that in another matter, Bosasa's former COO Angelo Agrizzi’s fraud case was deferred to October 4 2023.

Agrizzi is accused of offering a gratification of more than R800,000, on behalf of Bosasa, to former MP Vincent Smith, in exchange for his influence as the then chairperson of parliament’s oversight committee on correctional services. 

In a separate matter, the Pretoria high court ruled in April this year that Agrizzi is fit to stand trial virtually.

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