Ex-ANC MP Vincent Smith’s tax fraud, corruption case postponed

The case against corruption-accused former ANC parliamentarian, Vincent Smith, has been postponed to 5 July 2022.

Smith appeared briefly at the Palm Ridge Specialised Crimes Court on Wednesday morning, on charges of tax fraud, money laundering, corruption and breach of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act.

But the case was deferred to July after his legal team informed the court it needed more time to study a tax fraud docket provided by the State at the last sitting in November last year.

The spokesperson for NPA’s Investigating Directorate, Sindisiwe Seboka, said Smith complained that the docket was voluminous and he wanted to consult with tax experts and counsel.

“Smith may bring further applications to the State,” Seboka said.

The South African Revenue Services (Sars) tax fraud charges were added against Smith and his company, Euroblitz 48 Pty Ltd.

The charges stem from Smith and Euroblitz’s failure to disclose taxable income between 9 March 2009 and 11 July 2018, totalling R28 million.

Corruption charges

Smith stands accused of corruption in his personal capacity, as well as a representative of Euroblitz, for “gratifications” he received in the form of security upgrades to his home in Gauteng, from corruption-accused company Bosasa.

“He further faces corruption charges by accepting further gratifications from Waterfall Golf Estate (Pty) Ltd and CLIDET 69 (PTY) LTD.

“The accused also faces charges for accepting cash transferred into his bank account and his company from Bosasa and other people unknown to the state,” Seboka said.

Additional charges against Smith included his alleged failure to disclose to Parliaments’ Register of Members’ Interest the gratifications, cash deposits and money that was paid to him by Waterfall Golf Estate and CLIDET 69.

Smith and former Bosasa chief operations officer-turned whistleblower, Angelo Agrizzi, were arrested in 2020 and charged with corruption.

The former ANC MP chaired the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services.

Bosasa allegedly bribed Smith to protect the company from MPs’ scrutiny during parliamentary committee meetings. Smith denies the alleged bribes were meant to take off the heat from Bosasa.