Proceedings at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court came to an end on Wednesday without any sign of police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
Phantom sightings and rumours that he had been arrested and due to appear in court had sparked a media frenzy at courts around Gauteng.
Selebi’s spokesperson, Sally de Beer, received two telephone calls from media organisations about his arrest on Tuesday afternoon and a couple on Tuesday evening. By Wednesday morning, she was inundated with telephone calls from journalists.
She said she received queries about whether Selebi was appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court or the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
Photographers, TV crews and journalists were camped outside Selebi’s Pretoria North home well before 6am on Wednesday, she said.
”I stopped off at his house [on Wednesday morning] and it was like paparazzi everywhere,” she said.
”It’s crazy and terribly invasive for his family.”
Earlier, unconfirmed reports on Wednesday said Selebi was being held in the holding cells at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
But De Beer dismissed the reports as ”malicious”, saying he was in uniform at work, ”going about his business”.
She said she was with the police commissioner.
”Do you hear the voice in the background? That is the police commissioner,” she told the South African Press Association.
At the court, reporters peered anxiously down Pretoria’s streets hoping to see the Scorpion’s gleaming black vehicles appear.
By mid-afternoon there was only a small group of chain-smoking reporters huddled outside court one on the fourth floor of the building, repeating the mantra, ”No, he’s not here yet” over their cellphones to anxious news editors.
At one point they decamped to a slightly enclosed nook in the hope that Selebi would appear if the coast seemed clear of reporters.
The court stenographer, leaving after the last case of the day, caused a flutter of excitement when she returned briefly to double check whether she would be needed again.
Passing prosecutors offered helpful suggestions: ”Perhaps it was done in chambers,” said one.
”He’s definitely in Randburg,” offered another.
When news of yet another Selebi sighting came through, a pilgrimage was made to the parking lot, but the crestfallen reporters returned shortly afterwards to resume their vigil as the court building slowly emptied for the day.
Earlier, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Tlali Tlali addressed journalists at the court, saying: ”Where we are now and as we speak there is no arrest by the Scorpions of the police commissioner today [Wednesday].”
He said there had been rumours to the effect that Selebi had been arrested.
”Insofar as the investigation by the Scorpions against the police commissioner [is going], the NPA is yet to communicate or make a decision on this matter. If there are investigations being carried out by other law-enforcement agencies, it is not for us to comment,” said Tlali.
Asked what other agencies could be involved, he said there was ”a theoretical” possibility of this, and he could only comment on the work of the Scorpions.
He had not heard of an arrest by other agencies.
Meanwhile, Tlali said acting Director of Public Prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe intended to meet Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla ”as soon as possible” regarding the Selebi matter.
”The meeting is yet to take place and no further details are available at this stage,” he said.
He said the NPA would notify the media, in advance, of a media briefing relating to its decision about whether or not Selebi had a case to answer.
In September, the NPA confirmed it had been investigating Selebi for crimes including money-laundering and drug-dealing.
A committee was appointed to review the Scorpions case against the police commissioner by Mpshe. — Sapa