South Africa’s acting chief prosecutor is seeking an urgent meeting with the country’s justice minister over the possible arrest of police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, independent Talk Radio 702 reported on Wednesday,
South Africa’s opposition has called repeatedly for Selebi to be sacked over the country’s high crime rates and his links to convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti.
Selebi, who is also president of international police organisation Interpol, has denied allegations of any links to organised crime.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) acting director Mokotedi Mpshe told the radio station he wanted to meet with Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Brigitte Mabandla over the possible arrest of Selebi.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is seeking to be re-elected as leader of the African National Congress at a party conference in Polokwane from December 16-20, has stood by Selebi.
Rumours swirl
Earlier on Wednesday, the NPA’s spokesperson said Selebi had not been arrested as rumoured.
”Where we are now and as we speak, there is no arrest by the Scorpions of the police commissioner today,” said Tlali Tlali.
Selebi’s spokesperson, Sally de Beer, on Wednesday maintained that Selebi was at work as usual — she dismissed reports indicating he had been arrested as malicious.
Selebi was in his office on Wednesday, working as usual, contrary to reports that he was going to appear in court, De Beer said.
”Police are not investigating the commissioner. He is in his office, business as usual,” she said.
Pretoria Magistrate’s Court officials — usually reliable — on Wednesday said on condition of anonymity Selebi was in the holding cells and would appear in court one.
De Beer told the South African Press Association (Sapa) she had just seen him in uniform in his office and later that she was travelling with Selebi in a car.
”There is some malicious mischief-maker that since last night [Tuesday] has been spreading this info,” said De Beer.
When Sapa requested to send a journalist to meet with the commissioner, De Beer said that this would not be suitable. She, however, reiterated that she was with him.
”Do you hear the voice in the background? That is the police commissioner,” she said.
Later, chief prosecutor Matric Luphondo said Selebi ”is not here, he is not in the holding cells”.
In September, the NPA confirmed it had been investigating Selebi for crimes including money-laundering and drug-dealing.
The NPA said it had conducted an investigation into Selebi and had obtained an arrest warrant for him on September 10 from the chief magistrate in Randburg for alleged corruption, fraud, racketeering and defeating the ends of justice.
This week, information appeared in a 141-page document compiled from sworn statements handed to the Scorpions by former Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) security chief Paul O’Sullivan, as part of his private investigations into the police chief.
The statements apparently revealed a clear trail of alleged organised criminal acts committed by Agliotti, with the help of Selebi.
In the document, a certain ”Casual Source” alleges that Clinton Nassif, Brett Kebble’s former security consultant, and himself were involved in organised crime, assisted by Selebi.
The statement by ”Casual Source” said Selebi, Nassif and Agliotti owned a property in Midrand and, every fortnight or so, large sums of cash were collected from there and taken to a certain bank.
The source said the bank manager ensured the Fica requirements were circumvented and that the money was clean.
In September, a search warrant was obtained from the Deputy Judge President of the Witwatersrand Local Division of the High Court in Johannesburg.
NPA head Vusi Pikoli was then suspended on September 24 by President Thabo Mbeki.
Reports surfaced, indicating Pikoli’s suspension was due to Selebi’s pending arrest.
On September 28, newly appointed Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Mokotedi Mpshe ”decided that it would be prudent to make an application for the cancellation of the arrest and search warrants, pending the outcome of his reconsideration of the decision”.
‘I Don’t do crime’
Meanwhile, Selebi’s office on Monday would not comment on a newspaper report that he was involved in criminal activities, saying the information was stale and had already been commented on.
”Beeld newspaper’s lead article today [Monday], which was obviously regarded as a huge scoop, actually relates to documents which have been in the possession of — and reported on — by other media for the past 18 months,” said De Beer.
”The documents, which form part of a dossier put together by the person named in Beeld’s article today [Monday], were delivered to newspapers and other media as early as April 2006.
”The contents have been reported on widely, including in the Saturday Star of July 15 2006 and the Sunday Independent of July 16 2006. It was even the subject of a press conference hosted by the national commissioner on Sunday November 5 2006, over a year ago!”
At that press conference, according to Sapa, Selebi dismissed claims of criminal activity against him as a smear campaign to remove him from office.
”I don’t do crime; I am not corrupt,” said Selebi in reaction to a front-page report in the Sunday Times and articles in Rapport implicating him, his deputy Commissioner Andre Pruis and other senior police officers in criminal activity.
”All of these stories that I have read have got no bearing on the truth. All kinds of falsehoods and what people call leakages are made [against] my name,” he said.
De Beer said the contents of the documents would probably have formed part of the review process by a panel of four appointed by advocate Mokotedi Mpshe, acting prosecutions head. — Sapa, Reuters