Former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils has denied all knowledge of the recorded phone calls that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) used to justify its decision to drop charges against African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma, Business Day reported on Thursday.
”I knew nothing about the intercepts,” Kasrils told the newspaper. He was referring to recordings of phone calls between former Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy and former NPA head Bulelani Ngcuka.
The pair discussed the timing of charging Zuma with corruption, which the NPA used to justify its decision to drop the charges against the ANC president.
In an interview with Business Day on Wednesday, Kasrils denied having any knowledge of the content of the recordings.
”I was never a part of any conspiracy. I acted at all times within the Constitution.”
ANC national executive committee member Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday accused Kasrils of knowing about the recordings.
”Ronnie Kasrils knew about the tapes because they arose out of the Browse Mole [report] and he was minister of intelligence …” he charged.
Kasrils also denied refusing to act against McCarthy for illegally ordering Scorpions investigator Ivor Powell to conduct intelligence on Zuma — which became part of the so-called ”Special Browse Mole” report.
”It’s untrue that I refused to act against him. The tapes that emerged resulted from that investigation. That’s why I am calling for a full judicial investigation.”
The Browse Mole report contained claims that then ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma was involved in a conspiracy to topple former president Thabo Mbeki’s government. — Sapa