Axed spy boss Billy Masetlha was on Wednesday served with a criminal summons at the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported.
His lawyer, Imraan Haffegee, said Masetlha was not arrested, but summoned to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on October 20.
Haffegee said his client was charged under the Intelligence Services Oversight Act for refusing to answer questions put to him by intelligence Inspector General Zolile Ngcakani.
Masetlha, the former National Intelligence Agency director, was fired by President Thabo Mbeki in March following a hoax e-mail scandal.
Ngcakani found that the e-mails — believed to be part of the ANC succession battle and which showed an abuse of state resources for party political ends — were a hoax.
The Pretoria News had reported on Tuesday that Masetlha would be charged later this week with contravening the Intelligence Services Oversight Act.
It quoted the office of the intelligence inspector general as saying: ”We confirm a criminal summons has been issued and is to be served by the police this week.” — Sapa