SIU may yet join arms probe

2001-02-01 21:20

Pretoria - President Thabo Mbeki would consider appointing a special investigating unit (SIU) if this was needed to probe the government's R43 billion arms deal, the presidency said on Thursday.

"There is absolutely no problem with considering the involvement of an SIU at an appropriate time," presidential legal adviser Mojanku Gumbi told reporters in Pretoria.

She said an appropriate time would be after the amendment of the Act governing SIUs, provided that prima facie evidence of wrongdoing in the arms deal had emerged by that stage.

"If the investigation is still on and there is a need for that kind of power and skill [of an SIU], the president will certainly consider that." - Sapa

- SAPA