Police would not comment on reports on Friday that a Johannesburg police commissioner had been arrested in connection the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble.
National police spokesperson Sally de Beer would also not comment on a report, in the Star newspaper, that the former Hell’s Angels biker suspected of killing Kebble had vanished.
“The head of the detectives has said we must not even comment about the matter,” she said.
The Star reported on Thursday that police and Scorpions investigators said they had arranged to meet Kebble’s alleged killer after he had made a statement, but that he had failed to turn up.
The disappearance of the man — known to be a prominent bouncer in Gauteng — follows confirmation by police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi that the alleged gunman was one of four men who had struck a deal with the Scorpions, the report read.
Another is security company owner Clinton Nassif who, after Kebble’s murder last October in his car in Johannesburg, reportedly got police to release the vehicle before proper forensic tests had been done.
Selebi told the Star that police had planned to arrest the four for Kebble’s murder but found that the Scorpions had already arrested them — and granted them immunity.
The Star reported that Selebi had been kept in the dark about Agliotti’s arrest by the Scorpions on Thursday and was informed of it three hours after it had happened.
Asked during an interview with Radio 702 why the Scorpions had made the arrests, Selebi said: “We went for other people, there were about five people we were aiming at. And when we got to those people it became clear to us that they had entered into some arrangement with the people who had finally arrested them.
“So it was no point, it would have ruined everything if we went ahead with those people.”
Scorpions spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi could not be reached for comment. — Sapa
You first read about it in the M&G
Over nearly six months, while it ran a series of articles about a crime syndicate associated with slain mining magnate Brett Kebble and police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, the Mail & Guardian was a voice crying in the media wilderness. The arrest of Glenn Agliotti vindicates the M&G‘s multipart exposé:
May 26: Jackie Selebi’s shady Kebble links
The M&G revealed that Selebi was “linked to shadowy figures” Agliotti and Clint Nassif, who worked with Kebble on security and other projects, and that it was “highly likely” that the Scorpions were investigating this network and Selebi’s links to it. We also reported that Agliotti phoned Selebi soon after Kebble’s murder, and that Agliotti and Kebble had been in phone contact 24 hours earlier, when the latter was close to the murder scene. Agliotti and Selebi insisted there was nothing untoward about their call.
June 2: Commissioner did visit Kebble
We detailed Agliotti’s involvement in R18-million fraudulent cobalt deals and his life as a bigamist. We also confirmed Selebi visited Kebble’s home — despite his earlier denial.
July 14: Kebble link in huge drug bust
We reported the Scorpions’ arrest of five alleged syndicate members on charges of smuggling hashish and dagga worth up to R200-million, in a move linked to a wider investigation of Agliotti and his company. We also detailed a contraband tobacco deal involving some of the same actors, and how a crooked cop involved in the deal boasted of taking Selebi’s orders.
July 28: Arrests: Agliotti is next
We identified Agliotti as “the Landlord”, described by the Scorpions in court as among “the syndicate bosses who tend not to get their hands dirty, but manage their enterprises from a distance”. We also examined Agliotti and Selebi’s friendship — Selebi had originally described Agliotti as “my friend, finish and klaar“, but was now backtracking.
August 4: ‘Landlord gave order to kidnap’
We further described Agliotti’s alleged involvement with the syndicate, including claims that he had a syndicate member locked in a container.
September 22: Scorpions raid Agliotti
We reported that the Scorpions had raided Agliotti’s home and business, and that the warrant indicated they were interested in the syndicate’s links with police and Palto, a shady undercover operation linked to Selebi that freelanced for police.
September 29: Selebi, Agliotti and the dirty cops
We expanded on Palto’s role and Selebi’s downplaying of his ties with Palto head Paul Stemmet.
October 27: Kebble’s security boss nabbed
We reported the arrest of Nassif, Agliotti’s friend and former Kebble security adviser, as part of the Scorpions’ larger investigation. We said “Nassif’s arrest could blow the case wide open … he could turn state witness”.
November 3: Kebble murder: The noose tightens
We named the Scorpions’ investigation into the criminal network surrounding Kebble — project “Bad Guys”. The investigation encompassed conspiracy to murder, (the Kebble) murder, corruption (Selebi’s alleged receipt of syndicate money, which he denies), drug trafficking and organised crime (including the July drug bust). We reported claims that Nassif interfered with the Kebble murder probe by moving Kebble’s car to a panel-beater and tried to get it cleaned.
November 10: Inside the Selebi dossier
We described how former airport security boss Paul O’Sullivan, on a mission to expose Selebi, contributed to the Scorpions probe. Selebi has accused O’Sullivan of engineering a “smear” against him.
November 17: Kebble arrest: What now for Selebi?
The arrest of Agliotti on suspicion of murdering Kebble has opened perhaps the biggest can of worms in South Africa’s criminal history. The arrest could have grave implications for Selebi.