Rautenbach to take the stand

2009-11-19 09:10

Johannesburg - Tax dodger Billy Rautenbach will take the stand in the South Gauteng High Court on Thursday in the corruption case of former police commissioner Jackie Selebi.

Last week there were reports the prosecution team was having difficulty locating the former Hyundai boss.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Gerrie Nel asked Judge Meyer Joffe to stand down court until Thursday, as this was the only time Rautenbach would be available to testify.

The State was expected to wrap up its case in the next week.

Plea agreement

Rautenbach, who lives in Zimbabwe, spent almost a decade on the run before entering into a plea agreement with the NPA on tax evasion charges on September 16, 16 days before the start of Selebi's trial.

Under the deal, Rautenbach, as a director of SA Botswana Hauliers, agreed to pay a fine of R40m on 326 counts of fraud.

Convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti testified Rautenbach paid him $100 000 (about R743 500) as an alleged bribe for Selebi to assist him with his run-ins with the law.

Agliotti said Selebi, who was also president of international police body Interpol, was to see whether there were any international warrants out for the then fugitive Rautenbach.

Selebi is being tried on a count of corruption and another of defeating the ends of justice in connection with at least R1.2m he allegedly received from Agliotti, Rautenbach and others in return for favours.

- SAPA