/ 19 November 2009

Rautenbach served with Hyundai papers at Selebi trial

Billy Rautenbach was served with papers related to the affairs of the Hyundai group during his appearance at the trial of Jackie Selebi on Thursday.

Billy Rautenbach was served with papers related to the affairs of the Hyundai group during his appearance at the trial of former police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi on Thursday.

”Mr Rautenbach has just been served civil litigation related to the affairs of the Hyundai group,” said his spokesperson Madelain Roscher.

”There is no link between the criminal case [Selebi’s case] and the civil case.”

The former Hyundai boss and mining magnate recently reached a R40-million plea agreement with the authorities on 326 charges of fraud.

He fled South Africa in 1999 when his Botswana-based Hyundai Motor Distributors collapsed.

He is also a major shareholder in the Central African Mining and Exploration Company.

Earlier, while on the stand, Rautenbach testified of a meeting in Johannesburg between his lawyer James Tidmarsh, Glenn Agliotti and Selebi about investigations against Rautenbach.

Convicted drug trafficker Agliotti has testified that Rautenbach paid him $100 000 (about R743 500) as an alleged bribe for Selebi to assist him with his run-ins with the law.

At the time, Agliotti asked for a R1-million fee for access to Selebi, but Rautenbach said he felt this was exhorbitant and declined, the court heard.

Selebi is being tried on a count of corruption and another of defeating the ends of justice in connection with at least R1,2-million he allegedly received from Agliotti, Rautenbach and others in return for favours. – Sapa