”Rogue elements” within law enforcement are apparently spreading disinformation about the Brett Kebble murder probe, the Mercury reported on Tuesday.
”It’s a total nightmare,” National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi told the media.
”Certain people who consider themselves to be suspects are planting things in the media to force us to give a yes or no answer about certain issues … which they can hold the NPA to further down the line.”
Nkosi said the investigation is continuing and things are happening all the time.
”The situation does change and it is untenable for us to comment on every alleged development.”
Nkosi was responding to queries on a report that the Scorpions had subpoenaed police investigators working on the Kebble murder case, as well as weekend media reports that other suspects had been arrested.
Another top figure in the Scorpions said ”an active campaign of disinformation” is being conducted by ”certain elements” within law enforcement.
This is aimed at obstructing the Scorpions’ investigation efforts.
”It’s very frustrating,” the source said, ”and it’s wasting a lot of our time and energy.”
The Scorpions arrested businessman Glenn Agliotti last Thursday in connection with mining magnate Kebble’s murder. The matter was postponed to December 8 after he briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
No further arrests
Meanwhile, no further arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Kebble, police said on Tuesday.
”There have been no arrests and if there was an arrest then the media would know about it,” national police spokesperson Director Sally de Beer said.
She could not say whether there had been any new developments in the case since the arrest last week of Glenn Agliotti.
”We [will] not be giving any information on the investigation. We have made that quite clear,” she said.
Nkosi said: ”There’s nothing to report today [Tuesday]”.
After Agliotti’s appearance Nkosi told the media that more arrests were expected. He 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 [the Scorpions] and the South African Police Service.”
Agliotti will appear in court again on December 8 when he is expected to apply for bail. He will remain in custody at the Sandton police station.
There have been allegations that Agliotti, reportedly a friend of police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, is a kingpin in a drug syndicate and that his code name is ”the Landlord”.
Kebble was shot dead in his car in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs last year. — 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.