Slight improvement in Selebi's health

2011-12-27 11:40

Johannesburg - Convicted former national police chief Jackie Selebi's health has shown a slight improvement but he remains in a serious condition, the correctional services department said on Tuesday.

"Yesterday [Monday] he was still serious but a little bit improved," said Correctional Services deputy commissioner Zacharia Modise.

Modise said Selebi had remained in hospital over the Christmas weekend, and added that Selebi was already suffering from health problems when he began his prison term.

"We are trying to manage his condition."

The department is due to hold a media briefing about Selebi's condition at the hospital on Wednesday.

Last week, the department said his condition was too serious to allow him to be admitted to the Pretoria Correctional Centre to continue serving his sentence.

Kidney problems

The department has said Selebi is being treated for “kidney related problems”.

Selebi, 61, was taken to the nephrology (kidney) ward of the northern Pretoria hospital last Monday under armed guard.

The disgraced former police chief was booked into prison on December 5 to start a 15-year jail term. He was found guilty of corruption for accepting money from convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti, and giving him benefits that included showing him a British drug investigation report. Selebi was president of Interpol at the time.

His appeal against his corruption conviction failed in the Supreme Court of Appeal on December 2. Selebi watched the judgment on television at home and collapsed when he heard the outcome.

- SAPA