Cops asked to help nail Selebi
2008-01-27 16:17
Johannesburg - The acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe, has asked acting National Police Commissioner Tim Williams to help him nail Jackie Selebi.
Mpshe asked Williams for Selebi's diaries in a letter dated January 17, four working days after Selebi was put on extended leave of absence by President Thabo Mbeki.
Mpshe believes crucial evidence can also be gleaned from the diaries of Selebi's head of intelligence, Raymond Lalla, a Commissioner Mphego, a Director Hankel, Senior Superintendent Manie Viktor and Captain Morné Nel.
Mpshe's request to Williams also says the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) requires documents that indicate times, dates, destinations of international and local travels of Selebi (such as customs documents, transport rental, boarding passes) for the period January 1 2000 to date.
Loose ends
Mpshe's request indicates that there are loose ends in the evidence against Selebi which the NPA hopes to tie up before his trial.
Selebi will face charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice when he appears in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.
Mpshe also needs "all video recordings and/or digital recordings on which (Glenn) Agliotti, (Paul) Stemmet and other Palto members appear for the period January 2000 to date".
A source close to Selebi's lawyers said this aspect was interesting because much of the Scorpions' evidence against Selebi was based on Agliotti's corroboration of other people's statements.
But Agliotti was also not a man whose statements were dependable.
"Agliotti was video-recorded by intelligence operatives a number of times so Mpshe wants to avoid a situation where Agliotti contradicts himself endlessly," said the source.
'Untested evidence'
The source said the "peculiar and late request should also be seen against advice by the review panel which, among others, said its conclusions that Selebi had a case to answer were based on 'untested evidence which, depending on the nature of the challenge presented in an open court, may or may not stand',".
Police and the NPA would not comment on the letter.
Mpshe's request also includes:
Documents, case dockets or information files relating to police investigations into Billy Rautenbach, Gary Porritt, the Kya Sands Mandrax bust, security firm Palto's activities and Brett Kebble's murder.
Financial documents that show payments, rewards and any other financial support to Stemmet and Agliotti, in their names and in their pseudonyms, since 2000.
The originals or copies of five UK reports on Agliotti.
All documents in police files with the references "Operation Extine" and "Operation Cookout" used in the UK reports, including photos and surveillance recordings.
The secret report, or copies thereof, of the National Intelligence Estimate for 2005 and all correspondence between Selebi and the drafters of the report which alleges that Selebi was being paid by the Kebbles.Gerrie Nel
Meanwhile, mystery surrounds what police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini termed "new tangible evidence" given to Mpshe on the case against Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel on January 9.
But the NPA and police kept mum on Saturday.
Dlamini had initially said: "This application was motivated by evidence that suggests an intent to obstruct the investigation and prosecution by senior members of the NPA. The evidence was presented to Advocate Mpshe."
Mpshe initially appointed advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi to work with police on the Nel matter.
"The tangible evidence explained why liaison between the SAPS investigation team and Mzinyathi had been discontinued," said Dlamini.