The Scorpions will give their side of the story in the Johannesburg High Court on Thursday in police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi’s tussle over the right to secure documents needed for his trial.
On Wednesday, the court heard that Selebi’s legal team had failed to secure many of the statements and documents that it wants to defend him against charges of general corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
Selebi’s trial starts on April 14.
The Scorpions are in a separate court battle to get information they need from the police for their own preparations.
Selebi went on special leave late in 2007 and appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court to face the initial charges in February 2008.
On Wednesday Selebi’s lawyer told the court that the national commissioner was being framed.
”The accused is being framed,” Jaap Cilliers said.
The state alleges that convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti, murdered mining entrepreneur Brett Kebble and former Hyundai boss and mining entrepreneur Billy Rautenbach and other ”relevant corporate entities” made corrupt payments to Selebi between January 1 2000 and December 31 2005.
”The main state witnesses … their jobs were the framing of people,” Cilliers told the court on Wednesday.
He submitted that, by their own admission, Agliotti and Clinton Nassif framed and ”knocked” people.
Cilliers explained that knocking was when people drew money from an account, ostensibly to pay a bribe, but instead kept the money for themselves.
Selebi’s lawyers want the court to order that the state hand over documents and financial statements on which the state is basing its case. Cilliers said Selebi needed the evidence secured by the state relating to the witnesses to test their credibility ahead of his trial in April.
The police commissioner made the application to the court saying that in spite of repeated efforts to secure information to prepare for the case, hardly anything was forthcoming from the state. — Sapa