Alleged fraudster Jurgen Harksen drew Andre Lincoln, former commander of an elite police unit, into his web on Wednesday, claiming he gave Lincoln money for a karate school.
Lincoln, who led the now defunct presidential investigation task unit, is currently standing trial on nearly 50 corruption related charges.
Harksen also told the Desai Commission that he once
offered money to the African National Congress, but gave no further details.
He has denied that he actually handed over money to the party.
He made the statements in response to questioning on his earlier evidence on the context of his claimed donations to the Democratic Alliance, in which he said, ”I have always supported parties and so
on in Germany, and this was in South Africa from the beginning of my arrival (sic)”.
Challenged by DA advocate Peter Hodes to name other South African parties he gave money to, he named Lincoln and said ”I can’t remember what party he belonged to.
”It could be the New National Party.”
But at another point, the German said, ”The only party I have supported was the DA.”
Harksen also said on Wednesday that he met alleged Mafia kingpin Vito Palazzolo through Western Cape DA leader Gerald Morkel.
”What you have just said will be denied point blank,” said Hodes.
”I assumed it would,” said Harksen.
Harksen told the commission on Tuesday that he intended making an affidavit on Morkel’s alleged links with Palazzolo, but that he felt ”a bit uncomfortable” about giving open testimony on the
matter.
Morkel, who attended the commission hearings for the first time on Wednesday, denied that he ever had any dealings with Palazzolo.
”Categorically no, I never ever had a meeting with him,” he said. ”I have possibly seen him on a few occasions, but I never had a one-on-one meeting with him.”
Asked why he thought Harksen was making the claim, he said, ”God, why does he bring up all the other stuff? It’s just a part of his ongoing… devious mind.”
Palazzolo first arrived in South Africa in 1986 after absconding from a Swiss jail sentence imposed for his role in a notorious drug syndicate.
The presidential investigation task unit, led by Lincoln, a former ANC intelligence operative, started probing Palazzolo in mid-1996.
The charges against Lincoln centre on allegations that while he was investigating Palazzolo he became too close to the mobster and defrauded the state in the process. – Sapa