Kebble was a 'desperate man'

2010-07-29 14:19

Johannesburg - Slain mining magnate Brett Kebble was a "desperate man" who saw no way out of his problems other than to end his life, his former security chief Clinton Nassif told the South Gauteng High Court on Thursday.

"If he didn't do it he would either end up in a mental institution or a prison. This was the only way out," he testified in the trial of Glenn Agliotti, who is facing two charges related to Kebble's murder.

Nassif said he couldn't believe what he was hearing when told of Kebble's plan to die.

Told Kebble's father

He called Kebble's father, Roger: "I said I needed to see him... because this was crazy."

He told Roger Kebble what his son was planning. Kebble senior "freaked out at first", then told Nassif that since his youth, his son made threats "when things got rough".

The next day Brett Kebble was furious with Nassif.

"Brett blasted me from a dizzy height because his father phoned him and came down on him."

Kebble's business partner John Stratton then put pressure on Nassif, and he and Agliotti decided to go through with it, but not without a price.

The first attempt to help Kebble die on September 22, 2005 was abandoned because Nassif and Agliotti had not been paid.

Kebble 'thankful'

However, before the second attempt on September 26, Agliotti and Nassif realised no payment would be forthcoming, but proceeded anyway, to "help Brett out". Kebble was shot dead on September 27.

"He assured us that this was the only route out for him. He was very thankful... to us for helping him... for seeing it through."

Nassif apologised to the Kebble family or his role in the death of the mining magnate.

- SAPA