Former ANC MP Vincent Smith has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment after reaching a plea and sentencing agreement with the state, reports TimesLIVE.

Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) Judge Mohamed Ismail presided over the matter and accepted the agreement in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, as presented by the state and confirmed by Smith.

Investigating Directorate Against Corruption spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the accused was a legislator entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that the laws of the country were upheld.

The judge described corruption as a scourge that had reached alarming levels, and needed to be addressed decisively.

Smith pleaded guilty to charges that included: contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act; fraud; money laundering; and contravening the Tax Act.

He was sentenced to 12 years on each of the counts, with each suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit similar offences during the suspension period.

In his plea deal, Smith detailed how he used his company, Euro Blitz 48 (Pty) Ltd, as an alter ego and vehicle for accepting kickbacks, which he would then launder through his four personal bank accounts.

News24 reports that Smith admitted that, between October 2014 and August 2016 – while serving as the National Assembly chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice & Correctional Services – he received bribes from Bosasa on three occasions, totalling more than R800 000.

Bosasa had been awarded four contracts by the Department of Correctional Services, valued at more than R1bn, to provide nutritional services, access control, fencing and televisions at prisons across the country. 

‘He will effectively spend seven years in prison,’ Mamothame said.

The convictions stem from Bosasa, through former CFO Angelo Agrizzi, allegedly offering Smith gratifications in the form of security upgrades to his Gauteng home and Smith’s acceptance of cash transferred into his personal bank account via the bank account of his company, Euroblitz. 

There were also payments in exchange for the use of his political influence as an MP to shield Bosasa from accountability for corrupting officials in the Department of Correctional Services who awarded Bosasa contracts worth billions.

According to TimesLIVE, Smith further failed to disclose the taxable income of Euroblitz between March 2009 and July 2018, totalling about R28m.

Charges against Euroblitz were, however, withdrawn. 

'In as much as the trial took longer than anticipated, the wheels of justice finally got in motion and the rule of law upheld,’ said NDPP Andy Mothibi.

Full TimesLIVE report

Full News24 report