Ginwala told of World Cup trip

2008-07-01 21:05

Johannesburg - Former Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy's trip to the Rugby World Cup last year while President Thabo Mbeki was waiting for information on the Browse Mole Report was questioned by National Intelligence Agency deputy director-general Arthur Fraser on Tuesday.

Testifying at the inquiry into National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Vusi Pikoli's fitness to hold office, Fraser said McCarthy had been asked by Pikoli to co-operate with an investigation into the source of the Browse Mole Report.

This report, by the Directorate of Special Operations, had alleged foreign funding for a bid to bring African National Congress president Jacob Zuma to the presidency.

Fraser said they needed information on the sources as they needed to make a full presentation to Mbeki on the matter.

They also had concerns that the report may have been compiled by foreign "information peddlers".

Went to Rugby World Cup

"We believed they had been duped by peddlers," said Fraser.

In a letter to Fraser, McCarthy said he could not reveal who the sources were, in terms of protecting the informants, but in the interests of the investigation would do so on condition they remained secret. Another source was prepared to give information only to Mbeki.

The NIA believed they were not getting full co-operation from the NPA on the matter, and so Pikoli was asked to get McCarthy to co-operate.

Pikoli did so, but, said Fraser: "Subsequent to that briefing, Mr McCarthy went to the World Cup while the president was waiting (for a report on Browse)."

Fraser said that in the environment in which he worked, his boss would be held accountable for something he had failed to do.

Inquiry chair Frene Ginwala said that she did not intend calling McCarthy, who has taken up a position at the World Bank, to the inquiry.

Pikoli's lawyer, Wim Trengove, questioned Fraser on correspondence that Fraser was asked to find after the start of the inquiry in March.

This raised security issues surrounding the searches conducted at the Union Buildings on August 18 2005 in the course of the corruption investigation against Zuma.

Fraser said a letter dated August 26 recording these had been sent to Pikoli at his home and was signed for by Pikoli, but Pikoli denied receiving it.

Closed session

However, on closer inspection during questioning, Fraser noticed that the signature acknowledging receipt of the letter, was actually "N" Pikoli, Pikoli's wife, Nozuko, a former intelligence employee.

The inquiry went into a closed session late on Tuesday afternoon to discuss matters that may have an impact on national security.

These could include the NPA's interaction with their Malawian counterparts investigating an alleged plot to overthrow the president of that country and other alleged contact with foreign intelligence agents, considered outside the NPA's mandate.

- SAPA