/ 17 December 2007

Justice Minister mum on Selebi

Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Brigitte Mabandla on Monday declined to be drawn on the National Prosecution Authority’s (NPA) probe into police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi.

”No comment. I do not talk about those things,” she told a South African Press Association reporter at the national conference of the African National Congress in Polokwane.

On Sunday, the NPA said it had reached a decision about whether to prosecute Selebi, but could not reveal this until Mabandla had studied their report.

A review panel, tasked with establishing whether Selebi had a case to answer on criminal allegations against him, had made findings on the matter and submitted them to acting NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe.

Selebi, who was spotted at the ANC conference on Saturday, had two warrants issued against him three months ago. Both were cancelled in September.

The first warrant against Selebi obtained by Scorpion boss Gerrie Nel from the Randburg chief magistrate on September 10, related to alleged corruption, fraud, racketeering and defeating the ends of justice.

The second, which was a search warrant against the police chief, was obtained from the deputy Judge President of the Witwatersrand Local division Johannesburg High Court on September 14.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula is on record as saying he could not suspend Selebi as no one has presented him with hard evidence against the police chief. – Sapa

Source : Sapa /cn/ks