Mo turns on the tears

2003-11-24 17:12

Bloemfontein - Former intelligence commander Mo Shaik concluded his testimony before the Hefer Commission on Monday in dramatic fashion.

His eyes brimming with tears, Shaik said in a breaking voice: "If I have brought the country into disrepute, then I apologise."

He insisted that he still suspected national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka had been an apartheid spy. If credible evidence to the contrary was provided, he would apologise, he said.

The former apartheid-era ANC intelligence chief is the primary source of a claim that Ngcuka was "most probably" an agent for the apartheid government.

As a result, President Thabo Mbeki appointed retired chief justice Joos Hefer to probe this claim as well as allegations that Ngcuka had abused his office.

Shaik thanked the president on Monday for this, but not before making a few more revelations.

Murder conspiracy

He alleged during cross-examination that "some people associated with the Scorpions" might be arrested within the next 24 hours for a murder conspiracy.

The Scorpions are Ngcuka's elite investigating unit.

Shaik was apparently referring to a resurfaced e-mail message alleging a plot to overthrow President Thabo Mbeki that has been doing the rounds. According to newspaper reports the suspected author has been arrested and his premises raided.

In an apparent outburst over insensitive revelation of identities before the commission, Shaik on Monday gave the example of former British special agent Mike Snow.

He said both he and Snow were among the group of people named in the e-mail as conspiring to assassinate Mbeki.

Former transport minister Mac Maharaj, who underwrote Shaik's spy claim against Ngcuka, testified last week that he was not aware of Snow delving into Ngcuka's past on their behalf.

This was after Ngcuka's counsel, advocate Marumo Moerane, had named Snow in this regard.

When complaining on Monday about Snow being identified, Shaik accused Moerane of using information that the Scorpions had obtained illegally. Their methods included the suspected tapping of cellphones, he said.

Moerane denied this.

NPA spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said he knew of no-one associated with the Scorpions that had been or would be arrested as Shaik had alleged.

Defending Zuma's honour

Later on, Shaik repeated his stance that he has been defending deputy president Jacob Zuma's honour by accusing Ngcuka. The Scorpions investigated Zuma for alleged corruption.

He added that it was "a very difficult" decision for him to go public on the claims against Ngcuka.

Many believed that he had violated one of the fundamental principles of intelligence by doing so. However, he felt it was his citizen's duty.

"I believe strongly that there is abuse of office," Shaik said.

"Far too many people have agendas in my view."

- SAPA