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Agliotti fingers Mpuma top cop
17/01/2008 14:19 - (SA)
Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane
Nelspruit - Mpumalanga's police boss, provincial commissioner Afrika Khumalo, has declined to comment on allegations that he had shady links with self-confessed drug baron Glenn Agliotti.
In a sworn affidavit to the National Prosecuting Authority in the case against National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi, Agliotti mentions Khumalo as a cop who abused his authority to make money in the criminal underworld.
On page 15 of the signed affidavit, Agliotti said former security branch member Carl "Calla" Botha who was transporting Mandrax from Mozambique into South Africa was connected to Khumalo.
He said farmer President Joaquim Chissano's son ran the Mandrax factory and that crooked cops in South Africa would confiscate the contraband and only return it to the crime bosses in return for a hefty fee.
'They are renowned for sting operations in which goods are seized and only returned against the payment of money," reads the affidavit, a copy of which is in the possession of African Eye News Service.
Agliotti said the smugglers would sometimes have to pay Khumalo as much as R1m to get the contraband back. One such transaction related to a consignment of cigarettes.
He said the racket was not limited to drugs, but also included liquor, cigars and cigarettes.
Agliotti, who presented the NPA with the affidavit on January 11, said he was not directly involved with Khumalo, but was connected to him through his chain of "smugglers" in the underworld.
He said Paul Stemmet, a security expert who used to work under Selebi, and Botha had direct links with Khumalo.
When approached for comment this week, Khumalo, speaking through his spokesperson, Superintendent Sibongile Nkosi, said he was unaware of the contents of the affidavit.
"The provincial commissioner is not in a position yet to respond to the allegations. We will, however, respond to your questions next week and the date will be communicated to you," she said.
Authorised investigation
She said the provincial police office was not aware if the NPA was investigating or intended to investigate Khumalo.
Spokesperson for the NPA, Tlali Tlali, said he hadn't seen the affidavit yet, but was aware that Agliotti had implicated other people besides Selebi.
"In terms of the NPA investigation processes, we only investigate information in an affidavit if it falls directly within an authorised investigation," said Tlali.
He said it was therefore possible that Khumalo may be investigated and prosecuted.
"When we have carefully studied the affidavit and find that the details merit an investigation, we will carry out a separate investigation through other law enforcement agencies," Tlali said.
- African Eye
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