July 1, 2010
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s former national police chief was convicted of corruption Friday after a nation beset by crime heard months of testimony about its top cop going on designer shopping sprees with a convicted drug smuggler. The case against Jackie Selebi, a one-time president of Interpol, has been a chief exhibit in a national debate over whether corruption and political meddling is undermining the fight against crime. South Africa’s rates of murder and assault are among the world’s highest.Selebi had pleaded innocent, saying evidence for the charges against him were fabricated by enemies who wanted to punish him for his criticism of an elite and now defunct crime-fighting unit. The unit, known as the Scorpions, was disbanded in 2008 after it tried to prosecute Jacob Zuma on corruption charges before he went on to become South Africa’s president.
However, Judge Meyer Joffe, in delivering the verdict, said Selebi gave evidence during the trial that showed “complete contempt for the truth.”
While convicted of corruption, Selebi was found not guilty on the charge of defeating the ends of justice.
The next hearing in the case was scheduled for July 14, when Selebi’s sentence will be considered. He will remain free in the interim.
The star witness in the trial, which began last October, was convicted drug smuggler Glenn Agliotti. Agliotti himself faces trial later this year, accused in the 2005 murder of mining magnate and governing African National Congress party financier Brett Kebble. Agliotti has pleaded not guilty to the charge, claiming the death was an assisted suicide.
Prosecutors have said that in return for more than 1 million rand ($130,000 U.S.) in cash and gifts over the years, Selebi did favors for Agliotti, including letting him see documents British police sent to their South African counterparts linking Agliotti to drug smuggling.
Selebi has said he and Agliotti were friends, and that their relationship was built largely on sharing information. Prosecutors acknowledge Agliotti was a police informer.
Prosecutors said Agliotti took Selebi shopping at upscale stores in Johannesburg and London, paying for suits, shirts, ties and shoes. Agliotti also bought items for Selebi’s sons, wife and girlfriend, prosecutors alleged.
Agliotti allegedly gave Selebi money to hold a dinner celebrating his election to the largely ceremonial post of Interpol president in 2004. Four years later, his corruption case forced Selebi to step down from the agency that helps police in different countries work together on international crime.
The case also had seen drama outside the courtroom. In 2008, the top investigator was arrested on corruption charges that were quickly dropped. The arrest was seen by some as orchestrated to punish him for pursuing Selebi.
Former chief prosecutor Vusi Pikoli lost his job for charging Selebi. He was accused of failing to inform his political bosses before taking the sensitive step.
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