/ 20 June 2007

Kebble murder: Agliotti case postponed in court

The case of Glenn Agliotti, accused of the murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble, was postponed to October 5 in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

”By that day we will arrange a trial date and transfer the matter to the high court,” said Scorpions prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

Agliotti looked relaxed as he spoke to his lawyers before proceedings started. He wore a dark suit with his trademark pink shirt.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Nel would not comment on how efforts were going to extradite John Stratton, one of the co-directors of Kebble’s JCI company, from Australia. ”We’re busy with the process … we still intend to extradite him,” he said.

Scorpions spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi said they hope to have the two men stand trial for the murder together. ”By October 5 we might have an idea of where we stand [with the extradition]. Our view is that they must stand [trial] together.”

Agliotti was released on bail of R500 000 on December 13 last year. He was placed under 24-hour house arrest and can only leave his home at Bryanston in Johannesburg with the permission of Nel or the investigating officer.

On April 4, Stratton’s lawyers failed to prevent the national director of public prosecutions from submitting a request to Australian authorities for his extradition.

Judge Ferdi Preller turned down the urgent application in the Pretoria High Court. Stratton, who is 72 and receiving treatment for cancer, wanted to stop the proceedings pending the outcome of his application to declare the extradition agreement between Australia and South Africa invalid.

In the Pretoria matter, chief special investigator Andrew Leask said in court papers that the state intended to prove that at least Agliotti and Stratton had conspired to have Kebble shot and killed.

The controversial mining magnate was murdered in Johannesburg in September 2005. — Sapa