Another journalist was allegedly on Brett Kebble’s “hit list” of people he wanted “taken out”.
Kebble’s former head of security, Clinton Nassif, told the South Gauteng High Court on Friday afternoon that Citizen journalist Paul Kirk was one of the people mentioned to him by Kebble’s business associate, John Stratton, as someone they had to “deal with”.
Nassif testified he found “any reason under the sun” not to commit the killing of Kirk and mining bosses, including Randgold Resources chief executive Mark Bristow.
Hit man-turned boxer Mikey Schultz testified earlier this week he was told by Nassif that noseweek editor Martin Welz’s name appeared on Kebble’s “hit list”.
Drug dealer Glenn Agliotti is the only person facing charges of conspiracy to murder and murdering Kebble.
‘I’ve taken responsibility for what I’ve done’
Agliotti’s advocate, Laurance Hodes, criticised Nassif on Friday for not being able to name all the people on Kebble’s “hit list”. Nassif said there was never a paper list, but he and Agliotti were just told these names by Stratton.
Hodes put it to Nassif that Agliotti was never present when a “hit list” was mentioned, and that he [Nassif] was purely attempting to implicate Agliotti in anything he could to keep his indemnity status.
The state offered Nassif indemnity against prosecution if he testified honestly and truthfully against Agliotti.
Hodes was pushing holes in Nassif’s credibility, often accusing him of lying in his statements and in court. Earlier on Friday, a visibly upset Nassif told Hodes his client — Agliotti — was the “real liar”. “I’ve taken responsibility for what I’ve done,” said Nassif, banging his fists against the wooden witness box.
Judge Frans Kgomo postponed the case until Monday morning.