SOUTH AFRICA
Police chief to appear in court for corruption
Friday, February 1, 2008
The former head of Interpol, Jackie Selebi, will fight in court accusations of corruption and money laundering on Friday, months after ANC president Jacob Zuma was charged with corruption. (Report: C. Dumay)
Friday, February 1, 2008
JOHANNESBURG, Jan 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's police chief
Jackie Selebi, who is facing corruption charges, will appear in
court on Feb. 1, the prosecuting authority said on Thursday.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali said
Selebi would appear in the Randburg Magistrates Court. He gave
no further details.
President Thabo Mbeki placed Selebi on extended leave on
Saturday, a day after prosecutors said they would charge the
police chief with corruption, fraud, money laundering and
racketeering.
Selebi's lawyer was not available for comment.
A copy of Selebi's indictment, made available to the media
earlier by the NPA, includes accusations he received payments
from his friend Glen Agliotti, a convicted drug smuggler accused
of playing a role in the 2005 murder of a South African mining
magnate.
Selebi resigned as president of Interpol as he fights the
allegations, the world police organisation said on Sunday.
Corruption allegations are explosive in South Africa, where
Mbeki and his rival Jacob Zuma -- new leader of the ruling
African National Congress -- are locked in a power struggle that
has raised investors' fears of political instability.
The NPA charged ANC president Jacob Zuma with corruption,
fraud, money laundering and racketeering eight days after he
took over from Mbeki as ANC leader in December. That raised
suspicions among Zuma's supporters that the NPA's decision was
politically motivated.
Zuma, who is expected to become South Africa's president in
2009 if he does not go to jail, is due to stand trial in August.
Rivalries between top leaders have overshadowed a range of
crucial issues in South Africa such as one of the world's
highest crime rates, an AIDS epidemic and widespread poverty.
Jackie Selebi, who is facing corruption charges, will appear in
court on Feb. 1, the prosecuting authority said on Thursday.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali said
Selebi would appear in the Randburg Magistrates Court. He gave
no further details.
President Thabo Mbeki placed Selebi on extended leave on
Saturday, a day after prosecutors said they would charge the
police chief with corruption, fraud, money laundering and
racketeering.
Selebi's lawyer was not available for comment.
A copy of Selebi's indictment, made available to the media
earlier by the NPA, includes accusations he received payments
from his friend Glen Agliotti, a convicted drug smuggler accused
of playing a role in the 2005 murder of a South African mining
magnate.
Selebi resigned as president of Interpol as he fights the
allegations, the world police organisation said on Sunday.
Corruption allegations are explosive in South Africa, where
Mbeki and his rival Jacob Zuma -- new leader of the ruling
African National Congress -- are locked in a power struggle that
has raised investors' fears of political instability.
The NPA charged ANC president Jacob Zuma with corruption,
fraud, money laundering and racketeering eight days after he
took over from Mbeki as ANC leader in December. That raised
suspicions among Zuma's supporters that the NPA's decision was
politically motivated.
Zuma, who is expected to become South Africa's president in
2009 if he does not go to jail, is due to stand trial in August.
Rivalries between top leaders have overshadowed a range of
crucial issues in South Africa such as one of the world's
highest crime rates, an AIDS epidemic and widespread poverty.
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