Agliotti to spill the beans

2007-12-05 21:04

Johannesburg - Businessman Glenn Agliotti was sentenced to a suspended 10-year prison sentence in a Germiston court on Wednesday in a plea agreement that would see him testifying in a major drug case next year.

Magistrate James Van Wyk also fined him R300 000, and ordered that he pay an additional R200 000, considered the proceeds of crime, into the asset recovery account.

In a surprise move in terms of Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act, Agliotti admitted to contravening Section 5 (b) of the Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act - but in exchange would testify in the trial of his co-accused Stephanos Paparas, his father Dimitrio Paparas, and Stanley Poonin on March 4 2008.

Van Wyk said he took into account the fact that the 51-year-old Agliotti had no previous convictions, was paying maintenance for his former wife and a child, and that his current wife was a month away from giving birth to their child.

According to a statement signed by Agliotti and read out in court by his lawyer Laurence Hodes, Agliotti met "Steve" Paparas, about 10 years ago at the wedding of Martin Wingate-Pearse in Mauritius.

Regular meetings

Their first real interaction began in the late 1990s and they initially commenced business by dealing illegally in cigarettes. Paparas developed a relationship of trust with Agliotti and told him that he dealt in drugs and that he had dagga in Swaziland, the court was told.

Agliotti had not previously dealt in drugs, the court heard.

Agliotti introduced Paparas to Anthony Dormehl as he required a transporter and warehousing facility for his drugs and other goods.

Agliotti alleged that Paparas was smuggling drugs and spoke about them as "hash", "black" and "mandrax".

During 1996 to 1997, Paparas, Agliotti and a person called "Bob" met at the Brazilian Coffee Shop in Johannesburg's Sandton City.

Paparas allegedly told Agliotti that he and Bob had dagga which they wanted to fly to Canada. Agliotti believed the dagga was from Swaziland.

It was agreed that the consignment would go via Europe and would be labelled as either engine or boat spares.

Bob 'a renowned drug dealer'

The documentation required was allegedly given to Agliotti by Paparas and Agliotti asked one Rashid Shah to facilitate the export procedure.

He later gave Paparas the documents comprising an airway bill, packing list and proforma invoice.

Agliotti was subsequently told by Paparas that the Candadian authorities had seized this consignment upon its arrival in Canada.

Paparas then told Agliotti that he would not receive payment for this shipment. He also said that Bob's people had "messed up" and this had caused the seizure of the consignment.

"It became apparent to the accused that Bob was an internationally renowned drug dealer and a trusted friend of Paparas," Hodes read.

Towards the end of 2005, Agliotti was asked by Paparas for advice on how to smuggle hashish into South Africa from Iran. It was decided to use gas stoves to disguise the shipment as such products were manufactured in Iran.

It was further agreed to use the name Ophirton Hardware, a business situated in Booysens, Johannesburg, as the delivery address.

Paparas allegedly made all of the necessary arrangements and the container landed in Durban, then was sent to City Deep Container Depot.

Moving the goods

Paparas then met Agliotti and gave him the shipping documents which were required to clear the consignment.

Agliotti explained to Paparus that clearing charges of about R30 000 had to be paid and Paparas asked Agliotti do so on his behalf and later reimbursed him.

Agliotti asked for help from his former co-accused Clinton Nassif, who was his shareholder with Mauro Sabatini in a company called T Bond, which had a bond store situated in Wrench Road, Isando.

Nassif agreed to use a company called Tony's Logistics to fetch the container and transport it to T Bond.

Agliotti later told Paparas that he had been informed that customs were inquiring about the consignment, and Paparas allegedly said the goods should be moved as quickly as possible. They were allegedly moved to Paparas' father's plot on the East Rand.

Agliotti had also taken a sample of the hashish to Paparas at the Sandton City car park.

When Paparas was arrested, during his bail application, he referred to Agliotti as the "landlord".

"There is no basis for this label and it was a ruse employed by Paparas to cover his intricate involvement in the matter," the court heard.

'Wait and see'

After his sentencing on Wednesday, Agliotti was fingerprinted.

Hodes later told the media that a possible link with National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi "has not been resolved yet".

"You will have to wait and see," he said.

Selebi has been associated with Agliotti though coffee meetings the two have had.

The National Directorate of Public Prosecutions is currently reviewing the circumstances in which warrants were issued for the arrest of Selebi.

Before getting into a silver Mercedes CLK320 Agliotti, who has also been accused of murdering mining magnate Brett Kebble, said: "I am very relieved I think. At least the truth is out, but they will have to call me something else (other than) the landlord."

- SAPA