Johannesburg : Glenn Agliotti, the man accused of involvement in mining figure Brett Kebble's "assisted suicide", has portrayed himself as a do-gooder and former choirboy.

In an affidavit explaining why he believed he should be granted bail and read to the magistrate's court here by his lawyer, Agliotti described himself as a businessman and repeatedly drew attention to his support for charities.

He said Kebble's death had been an "assisted suicide". Kebble had initially planned to drug his pilot, causing his plane to crash, but later opted for a botched hijacking, Agliotti's lawyer, Lawrence Hodes, read.

An assisted suicide constituted an "exceptional circumstance" that took the matter out of the realm of a schedule six offence, the affidavit said. Schedule six offences include murder.

The state did not oppose the application. Scorpions advocate Gerrie Nel said: "We agree that the murder could be termed an assisted suicide. We submit the accused took part in the arrangement and planning."

Bail was granted and set at R500 000, but Agliotti was placed under house arrest and told he could not leave his R6.5 million Bryanston home without the written permission of the investigating officer or Scorpions advocate Gerrie Nel. He had to hand in his passport and report to his home within an hour of paying his bail.

Hodes gave an undertaking that Agliotti's defence would not apply to have the bail conditions relaxed.

Arguing earlier for the court to grant the application, Hodes said Agliotti did not have previous convictions and would fear for his safety if kept in custody in prison. Also, he'd recently had a colon operation and had to follow a prescribed diet.

It was unlikely the trial would begin before 2008 because the state also intended charging John Stratton, one of the co-directors of JCI, in the case, Hodes said. Stratton was living in Australia and it would take about a year to secure his extradition.

Said Nel: "This matter is also part of a bigger investigation that is at a sensitive stage."

Agliotti was also facing charges relating to a drug bust in Germiston and was under investigation in connection with fraud involving Kebble companies JCI and Randgold and Exploration.

Outlining his life history in his affidavit, Agliotti said he was born in Germiston on November 22, 1956 and had lived in South Africa all his life. He went to boarding schools in Middelburg and Bloemfontein. "I was a house prefect, played first-team rugby - for which I received half colours - and was head chorister in the choir."

Agliotti completed national service in the army, began working as a sales representative and married Vivien. They had a child, but divorced after 10 years because he had an affair. After this, "I had a girlfriend for a substantial period … who died in a horse riding accident". Agliotti later had an eight-year relationship and, more recently, became engaged.

His business interests were "commodity dealing and raising finance for large projects involving coal, gold, diamonds, gas and other commodities".

A keen golfer, with a five handicap, he went to gym daily, and supported eight charities. He had adopted "a previously disadvantaged child, whom I educate at my own personal expense" . He returns to court on January 25.

With acknowledgements to Gill Gifford, Karyn Maughan, Sapa and Cape Times.