As the Democratic Alliance (DA) took steps to obtain copies of the alleged warrants of arrest for police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi on Thursday, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) renewed its call for the police chief’s suspension.
The DA has lodged an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to obtain copies of the warrants allegedly issued for Selebi, DA parliamentary leader Sandra Botha said.
”The need to take this action is the result of the government’s persistent refusal to either confirm or deny the existence of such warrants.”
Media reports suggested at least four warrants were issued for Selebi.
”At this point, no one in government is telling the public what is going on.
”That is why the DA is launching this application on behalf of the public, who have a right to know,” Botha said.
The fact that the warrants had reportedly been withdrawn raised further questions about possible political interference in the investigations undertaken by the Scorpions.
”We have also lodged this application because the terms of the Ginwala commission appear to have been deliberately designed to avoid an investigation into the alleged warrants issued in relation to Commissioner Selebi.
”This is an extraordinary omission, given that one of the central issues related to advocate Vusi Pikoli’s suspension is whether or not he was suspended by the president as a result of his decision to pursue criminal charges against Selebi,” Botha said.
In a letter to President Thabo Mbeki on Thursday, FF+ spokesperson Pieter Groenewald asked Mbeki to appoint a judicial inquiry and suspend Selebi pending the outcome.
”This request follows the confirmation from the NPA that they are indeed investigating Selebi,” he said.
A similar request to Mbeki in November last year was turned down.
Mbeki said then that nobody within the state structures had informed him of any investigation regarding Selebi and that Groenewald’s request was based upon nothing more than mere rumour and speculation.
Groenewald said Mbeki was surely aware that the Scorpions had now openly acknowledged in public they were investigating Selebi.
The investigation was therefore no longer based upon mere rumour and speculation, but on facts.
”There is therefore no longer any reason why President Mbeki cannot appoint a judicial commission of inquiry and suspend Selebi,” Groenewald said. — Sapa