Scorpions check SAA
2004-02-29 10:08
Mmuso Pelesa and Spiwe Mboyane
Johannesburg - Suspicious foreign accounts belonging to a senior official at the technical division of South African Airways (SAA) and his wife led to a pre-dawn raid by the elite police crime-busting unit, the Scorpions, last week.
City Press reported that several bank accounts belonging to the SAA senior official and his wife are the subject of intense police investigation.
During the raid at the couple's home in Westcliff, Johannesburg, the Scorpions searched and seized material, including computer files and bank statements. Other houses in Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal and two holiday homes in Plettenberg Bay belonging to the couple were also searched and documents seized.
The Scorpions searched a total of 11 premises, some of which are private businesses.
Money's origin
According to City Press sources, the suspicious R1m transfer to a foreign account by the official's wife raised doubts about the money's origin. The transaction was traced because of new Reserve Bank legislation that compels people to declare the origins of the funds they want to invest in overseas accounts.
When questioned about the transaction, the wife apparently revealed that the money belonged to her husband, who was an SAA employee.
The official has allegedly been suspended and will face a disciplinary hearing to be held this week.
Routine audit
A routine internal audit by SAA raised suspicions of kickbacks by suppliers to staff responsible for purchases.
Scorpions spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi could neither confirm no deny aspects of the investigation against the implicated official. "We are looking for evidence. We are not arresting anybody, we are just trying to gather evidence. At the moment I am not at liberty to reveal the merits of our investigation."
In another development, former head of security at the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa), Paul O'Sullivan, has filed a high court application demanding an inquiry by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula into the "unethical"conduct of national police commissioner Jackie Selebi.
In his application, O'Sullivan accuses Selebi of orchestrating his dismissal from Acsa after he cancelled the services of security company, Khuselani .