Head of the State Security Agency Arthur Fraser.
The Inspector-General of Intelligence Dr Setlhomamaru Dintwe has launched an urgent court application accusing the head of the State Security Agency Arthur Fraser of interfering with his functions and revoking his security clearance.
Dintwe said he would ask the court “to put in place measures to ensure my personal security” following Fraser’s “brazen and unlawful actions”.
Fraser was implicated in author Jacques Pauw’s book, The President’s Keepers, and accused of running a parallel intelligence network during a previous stint at the spy agency before 2010.
According to the book, an internal SSA probe concluded that Fraser should be charged with treason for his role in the running of the SSA’s Principal Agent Network.
Dintwe said he had received complaints against Fraser which were serious and had a damaging effect to the standing as well as the image of the intelligence services.
“In an effort to distract me from conducting this investigation, the Director-General has obstructed the functioning of my office. He is also undermining my investigation into the allegations against him. He has acted in defiance of my constitutional mandate and powers,” Dintwe said.
“The Director-General has threatened and intimidated me on more than one occasion.”
He said Fraser has sought to revoke his security clearance in an attempt to bring an end to the investigations against him.
“There is no lawful reason or basis for the revocation of my security clearance. The only purpose for revoking my security clearance is to prevent me from investigating the Director-General (him). This is obviously unlawful and an attack on my office and the Constitution,” he said.
“Furthermore, state resources are used by the Director-General to undermine my office and prevent investigation against him.
“The Director-General went further than that and ‘suspended’ me although he does not have any authority to do so,” Dintwe said.
He said Fraser’s actions had “grievously hampered” his ability to follow his constitutional mandate.
“It is in the public interest for the Office of the Inspector-General (OIGI) to fulfil its constitutional mandate. I am committed to the execution of this mandate,” Dintwe added. – News24