Scorpions factbox
2008-02-12 18:13
Cape Town - South Africa's elite Scorpions
anti-crime unit will be dissolved, Safety and Security Minister
Charles Nqakula said on Tuesday.
The Scorpions are not part of the police, but report to the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) which answers to the Justice Department.
Here are some details:
The NPA was established by the 1996 constitution.
Moketedi Mpshe became acting head in September last year.
The NPA has the power to institute and conduct criminal
proceedings on behalf of the state. The constitution stipulates
that the NPA reports to the justice minister.
The Directorate of Special Operations, the official name
of the Scorpions, was launched at
President Thabo Mbeki's behest as part of the NPA on September 1
1999, to eradicate organised crime in South Africa.
In 2006, Mbeki's Cabinet approved a recommendation that
the Scorpions report to the safety and security minister, also
responsible for the police, while the prosecuting wing of the
NPA would continue to report to the justice minister.
The move
was never formalised in law.
Unease has grown as ANC members, especially those who
backed ANC president Jacob Zuma in his bid to succeed Mbeki as
national president, accused the Scorpions of abusing power to
settle political scores, some dating back to white minority
rule.
The NPA charged Zuma with corruption, fraud, money
laundering and racketeering on December 28.
Mpshe denied accusations
Mbeki was behind the new corruption charges and that his agency
had been improperly influenced.
The Scorpions have waged a bitter turf war with the
police and have been accused of using their power to settle
political scores.
A recent timeline of major cases
2006:
Nov - South African businessman Glenn Agliotti arrested by
the Scorpions in connection with the murder of mining magnate
Brett Kebble in 2005.
Agliotti's lawyers argued Kebble's death
was an "assisted suicide" made to look like a botched
carjacking.
2007:
January 18 - Agliotti is charged in connection with a R250m drug bust after three other suspects
agreed to testify against him.
September 24 - Mpshe becomes acting head of the NPA after Vusi
Pikoli was suspended by Mbeki, drawing accusations he did it to
protect South Africa's national police chief, Jackie Selebi,
from a criminal investigation.
October 5 - NPA says it has obtained arrest and search warrants
for Selebi, but would not act on them pending a review.
December 5 - Agliotti pleads guilty to drug dealing and agrees to
testify against international traffickers.
2008:
January 8 - Gerrie Nel, a senior official of the Scorpions who
led the investigation into Selebi, is arrested and charged.
January 11 - The NPA says Selebi is to be charged with
corruption and defeating the course of justice in connection
with his relationship with Agliotti.
January 12 - Mbeki announces Selebi will take an extended leave
of absence and Selebi resigns the next day as president of
Interpol, the world police organisation.
January 14 - Charges against Nel are dropped.
February 1 - Selebi is ordered to return to court on June 26,
when he is expected to face charges of corruption, fraud, money
laundering and racketeering.