Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon has formally asked President Thabo Mbeki to appoint a tribunal in terms of the Police Act to investigate the allegations made against police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
”I am of the firm belief that unless such a tribunal is appointed, government’s commitment to fighting crime as well as South Africa’s international standing will be compromised,” Leon said on Tuesday.
In a letter to Mbeki, Leon said: ”I write in respect of the growing disquiet expressed across the length and breadth of South Africa with regard to the conduct of National Police Commissioner Mr Jackie Selebi, and to respectfully request that you establish a board of inquiry to investigate the serious allegations made against him.”
Over the past month, a series of very disturbing allegations had surfaced, which pointed to Selebi being guilty, at best, of inappropriate conduct, or of having inappropriate relationships with known criminals.
”At worst, the commissioner is possibly guilty of wrongdoing,” Leon said.
”I respectfully submit that there is an urgent need for such an inquiry, for as long as the allegations of this nature continue to surface and remain unanswered, the office of the National Commissioner will remain compromised — to the great detriment not only of the image of the police, but also of the national fight against crime.”
The Police Act specifically envisaged a situation in which the National Commissioner could be investigated by a board of inquiry — with a judge of the Supreme Court as chair — should the official lose the confidence of the Cabinet.
Leon said a board of inquiry of this kind would be best placed to investigate the allegations made against Selebi, including his relationships with the murder accused in the Brett Kebble murder, and that he ”allegedly misused his office and his authority to threaten senior members of the Scorpions and interfere with their work”.
A Cabinet statement of November 23 declared that: ”unless and until evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the National Commissioner is presented, no action will be taken”.
However, the statement begged the question: How was evidence to be adduced when the person at the centre of these allegations was simultaneously in charge of the police?
”Surely, probity and the requirements of good governance indicate that an objective inquiry is now needed.
”This will, hopefully, remove the stain from the commissioner’s office and enable the police to be led in a manner which inspires — and not undermines — public confidence,” Leon said.
It was reported last week that Selebi believes his name will be cleared.
”The national commissioner of the SAPS has no doubt that the real facts will be revealed as time progresses and that his name will be cleared,” his spokesperson, Director Sally de Beer, said.
Police were responding to a story in Friday’s Mail & Guardian that alleges that Selebi has been aware of a criminal investigation against his friend Glenn Agliotti for the past four years.
The story was published after the newspaper won a last-minute court battle against the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Thursday night, when the NPA tried to prevent publication.
It reports on a statement to the Scorpions, according to which Selebi was ”informed about Glenn Agliotti’s involvement” when police seized a R105-million Mandrax consignment in 2002. The subsequent investigation failed spectacularly — Agliotti remained untouched, suspects caught red-handed were released and much of the haul was stolen back from the police.
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.