Glenn Agliotti, arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble, who was his business associate, could be joined in the dock by others.
The Scorpions, who arrested Agliotti in an early-morning raid on his home in Bryanston in Johannesburg, said on Thursday that more arrests were expected. Scorpions spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said Agliotti’s arrest was part of a continuing probe into organised crime.
”There will be more arrests which would be best dealt with in a cooperative relationship between the Directorate of Special Operations [DSO] and the South African Police Service [SAPS].”
Meanwhile, Kebble’s brother, Guy, reportedly said Agliotti’s arrest had come as a jolt because he had been a friend of the family. ”But nothing’s a surprise. I’m very disappointed because I knew who the suspect was — [but] nothing surprises me.
”I can’t wait to see who the other suspects are. I have a clear picture of who they are. There were a lot of people who were close to my brother over the years and now it seems that these particular people have been holding hands in bed together in some form,” Guy was quoted saying.
”I never saw Glenn and Brett together. I met him one day four years ago in passing … I remember thinking, ‘This is a person you should stay clear of.”’
Court appearance
Agliotti appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court early on Thursday afternoon, but the matter was postponed until December 8 when he is expected to apply for bail. He will remain in custody at the Sandton police station.
His brief appearance attracted a packed gallery, mainly of journalists, ranging from television magazine-show staff to newspaper artists. They had all come for the opening of a new chapter in the murder mystery, flavoured with twists by reports on Agliotti’s friendship with police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
Reacting to opposition party calls for Selebi to resign, he vehemently denied ever discussing crimes or criminal activity with Agliotti. ”He would not have discussed crime or any criminal activity with me. Never,” said Selebi.
Defending her boss, national police spokesperson Sally de Beer said those who worked with him daily have every trust in his leadership. ”We can see how committed he is to the community and service delivery from the police,” she said.
New twist
Meanwhile, a further twist emerged on Thursday evening with a radio report that businessman Clinton Nassif had turned state witness, but De Beer would not confirm or deny this. She said it would not be in the interest of bail applications that were being prepared.
”People [the prosecutors] are preparing for a bail application and must make a solid case. It’s best to let them proceed, so I cannot comment,” she said.
Talk Radio 702 reported that Nassif — after Kebble’s murder last October in his car in Johannesburg — got police to release the vehicle before proper forensic tests had been done. Nassif owns the Central National Security Group (CNSG), a company contracted to Kebble’s former company JCI, providing such services as physical security and investigations.
According to the radio station, three men taken in for questioning in connection with the Kebble investigation in the past 24 hours were all linked to the CNSG. ”It is understood that Nassif will testify as a Section 204 witness, which means that if there is a full disclosure, the court will grant him full immunity from prosecution,” read the report.
From the dock, Agliotti confirmed that he knew regional magistrate Lukas van der Schyff — the presiding officer saying he looked ”vaguely familiar” from a case in which he had once been involved and suggested another magistrate hear the matter.
According to the Star, Agliotti was tried in 1998 for allegedly arranging the fraudulent shipment of cobalt — to the United States and Europe. He was acquitted, but was later found in private arbitration to have been responsible, on the balance of probabilities, the report read.
More arrests expected
Meanwhile, a report that the police were searching for three more people, two Russian nationals and another Johannesburg businessman, could not be confirmed.
”We [the Scorpions and the police] have put together a team to drive the process forward,” said the police’s De Beer. ”We have said more arrests are expected. There is really nothing more we can say.”
The Scorpions’ Nkosi added: ”Agliotti was identified by the DSO as a role player in the Alberton drug bust earlier this year.
”Communication between the DSO and the detectives service of SAPS last night [Wednesday] and earlier this morning shed light on the status of the SAPS investigation.”
The police had given its full cooperation and dedicated two investigators to the DSO. ”This was done so that the two agencies could ensure a dedicated and focused approach of the ongoing murder investigation as well as prosecution,” Nkosi said.
There have been allegations that Agliotti is a kingpin in a drug syndicate and that his code name is the ”Landlord”. — Sapa