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Selebi, Pikoli: Mbeki explains
14/02/2008 15:28 - (SA)
Cape Town - President Thabo Mbeki has explained his actions regarding National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and suspended National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Vusi Pikoli.
Replying in the National Assembly on Thursday to debate on his State of the Nation address, Mbeki said he was obliged to address "some matters I would rather avoid speaking about, because they concerned the actions of the President of the Republic directly".
"However, the circumstances dictate that I address these," he said.
On Wednesday, African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe stated that in the light of information contained in a court document evidently submitted by acting NDPP Mokotedi Mpshe, there were "grave allegations that go to the heart of the President's integrity".
Mbeki said he had not seen the document, which apparently related to issues affecting Pikoli and Selebi, who was on extended leave.
"With regard to the latter, I noticed that the Hon Rev Meshoe decided to quote part of what I have said about the alleged criminal culpability of the National Commissioner.
"For reasons I do not understand, he did not mention the fact that I also said that the National Prosecuting Authority approached me some time ago as President of the Republic, to inform me that they had received claims about alleged criminal misconduct implicating the National Commissioner of Police.
"As I have said publicly a number of times, from then onwards I interacted with the National Director to assist him to get such information as he sought, to facilitate the investigations he and the DSO felt they had to conduct to establish whether there was any truth to the allegations," Mbeki said.
Having satisfied themselves that they had prima facie evidence suggesting that Selebi had been involved in criminal misconduct, they had informed Mbeki of this conclusion and their decision to charge Selebi.
'Gratuitous insult'
"At this point we informed the NPA that we were ready to assist them to inform the national commissioner that he should willingly submit himself to the process of prosecution which the National Prosecuting Authority had decided to institute, which we did."
"I trust that the Hon Rev Meshoe will explain to this House and the nation why he saw it fit to make the grievous and gratuitous insult which sought to challenge not only the integrity of the person of the President of the Republic, but also the Office of the President and our Government as a whole.
"It cannot be that this resulted only from the careless use of words."
With regard to matters relating to Pikoli, Mbeki said he had acted on this issue strictly in terms of the NPA Act.
"We are convinced that the process put in place to deal with this matter must be allowed to take its course," he said.
"In this regard, precisely to respect the principle and practice of the rule of law, we will continue to respect the prescriptions described in the NPA Act."
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