Glenn Agliotti, the Brett Kebble associate who is close to Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, has been identified by the Scorpions as a “boss” of “one of South Africa’s most prominent syndicates” smuggling drugs and other contraband.
Scorpions Gauteng head Gerhard Nel dropped the bombshell — although under the cover of a code name — during court proceedings this week when three syndicate members, arrested weeks earlier in a R200-million hashish and cannabis haul, pleaded guilty and turned state witness.
Nel read out a plea agreement between the State and the three accused. It singled out “The Landlord” among “the syndicate bosses who tend not to get their hands dirty, but [who] manage their enterprises from a distance”. It envisaged his arrest.
The Mail & Guardian can reveal, based on affidavits in our possession and interviews with sources, that “The Landlord” is Agliotti, whose links to Selebi and slain mining boss Kebble the M&G exposed in May. The affidavits were made by a key witness, whose identity is withheld so as not to prejudice the investigation.
With the Scorpions’ interest in Agliotti confirmed, pressure is likely to increase on Selebi, who has yet to provide full details of their relationship and explain an apparent inconsistency in earlier answers. (See sidebar.)
In May, the M&G reported that the Scorpions’ declared investigations into the collapse of the Kebble empire appeared to include an examination of “Selebi’s links or not to the network [of Agliotti and others]”. This raised the distinct possibility that the country’s top cop was under investigation by the country’s elite investigations unit — adding bile to an already sour relationship.
At the time, Selebi said the Scorpions probe did not bother him. “I’ll still be sitting here and there’ll be nothing that comes out of that.”
Nel’s court bombshell vindicates earlier M&G reporting. The Selebi camp’s spin efforts were redoubled after the M&G linked Agliotti a fortnight ago to an accused in the Scorpions’ drug haul. This culminated in a Sunday Independent article alleging a “smear campaign” against the national commissioner. The article quoted Selebi as saying “I am totally not worried,” and as looking “relaxed in a salmon-coloured jersey”.
Selebi has repeatedly denied knowing of Agliotti’s alleged criminal career. Agliotti has repeatedly denied all allegations of criminal activity.
Agliotti was tried in 1998 for allegedly arranging the fraudulent shipment of cobalt — which turned out to be sand — to the United States and Europe. He was acquitted, but was later found in private arbitration to have been responsible, on a balance of probabilities.
The M&G has been aware for some time of allegations against Agliotti involving contraband activity — mainly in falsely branded cigarettes and drugs. The plea agreement read by Nel described the syndicate as “not only … involved in the illegal smuggling of hashish and cannabis but in other types of contraband, including tyres, cigarettes and drugs such as mandrax, cocaine and ice”.
The Scorpions’ drug haul, in early July on the East Rand, was of 762kg of hashish and over a ton of compressed cannabis with a street value, according to the plea agreement, of over R200-million.
Six alleged syndicate members were arrested: Canadian Lesley Curtis and South Africans Cristiaan Alblas, Pedro Marques, Stanley Poonin, Dimitrios Paparas and his son Stefanos Paparas. The latter knows Agliotti well.
Curtis, Alblas and Marques pleaded guilty in the Alberton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday to offences under the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act. Curtis and Alblas were summarily sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each, of which five were suspended, and Marques to five-and-a-half years, of which three were suspended.
Their sentences — lenient considering the offences — were by agreement with Nel, as prosecutor, after they had agreed to testify against other syndicate members.
The plea agreement says Curtis met Stefanos Paparas and “people close to” Paparas in 1998, and was “involved in various drug deals since approximately 2000 with them. [Curtis] was introduced to a person with the pseudonym ‘Landlord’ or the ‘Bandit’ whom he believes facilitated and/or directed and/or managed most of the drug deals”.
The accused were “involved in importing approximately two tons of hashish during 2005 … The drugs were smuggled from Iran concealed in a shipment of gas stoves”.
Half was smuggled to Holland in February this year. The remainder was seized by the Scorpions.
Curtis would specifically “give evidence in the trial of ‘The Landlord’ if and when he is arrested”.
Agliotti did not respond to questions this week.
Additional reporting by Zukile Majova
Bosom buddies or recent acquaintances?
What is the nature of the friendship between Glenn Agliotti (right) and Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi?
Two sources, one sympathetic to Agliotti and the other to Selebi, have told the M&G Agliotti was among a number of business people who beat a trail to the African National Congress’s headquarters, Shell House, in the early 1990s, hoping to win favour. It appears this is where the two men first met.
In May, Selebi told the M&G that Agliotti “is someone I know since 1992 or 1994. I know him as a friend, finish and klaar.” Lawyer Kim Warren answered on Agliotti’s behalf: “Our client has been a personal friend of Commissioner Selebi for a number of years and meets with him socially from time to time.”
A fortnight ago, Selebi told the M&G that “the relationship between me and Agliotti is being blown out of proportion”. He was quoted in the Saturday Star as saying he had met Agliotti in 2001, when the latter’s events management company organised a police torch relay from Robben Island to Parliament.
The M&G this week asked Selebi to explain the apparent discrepancy. He declined to answer this and other questions, saying through spokesperson Sally de Beer that he would “no longer entertain these weekly questions”.
The question remains whether Agliotti could have used his access to Selebi as a cover for untoward activity.
Selebi earlier told the M&G his name might have been abused by people purporting to act on his authority, but said: “I don’t protect anybody; there is no one powerful enough for me to protect them.” — Mail & Guardian reporters