WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2007-10-04 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
By Boyd Webb and Angela Quintal
Acting prosecutions chief Mokotedi Mpshe is likely to co-opt independent experts to help him decide whether there is a case to prosecute against South Africa’s top cop, Jackie Selebi.
Mpshe may choose to put the information the Scorpions have gathered in their investigation against the national police commissioner and head of Interpol before an “independent panel” to advise him before he decides whether to seek Selebi’s arrest and prosecute him.
It is understood this is one of the options open to Mpshe, after he was asked by President Thabo Mbeki to review the Scorpions’ investigation against Selebi.
Once the review of the Selebi case is completed, Mpshe will report to Mbeki, who will then decide what action, if any, to take against his police chief.
This would include suspending Selebi if there is indeed a case to answer, or asking him to resign.
Mbeki is on record as telling church leaders earlier this year to “trust him” amid concerns that the police commissioner was under a cloud and should be suspended because of his alleged links to organised crime.
At the time Mbeki and Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula stood firmly behind Selebi, unconvinced there was a case against him.
Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said on Wednesday Mbeki would then “decide if there is a need for him to ask the national commissioner to do anything”.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tlali Tlali refused to comment on the possibility that a panel would assist in the review.
He was at pains to avoid any perception that Mpshe was being told what to do.
“Whatever process was adopted was at the instance of the acting national director,” Tlali said.
However, Maseko acknowledged that a panel of experts could well be called to assist in the review process, although this was not a definite,
It would be left to Mpshe to decide who to rope in to assist in the review.
At the moment there are concerns that the information against Selebi is based on testimony from people who have either received indemnity or hope to receive it for serious crimes, or front those with a personal axe to grind.
Maseko also released the terms of reference for the inquiry into suspended prosecutions boss Vusi Pikoli.
The inquiry in terms of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, effectively amounts to a disciplinary hearing for Pikoli.
The inquiry headed by former national assembly Speaker Dr Frene Ginwala will be conducted into Pikoli’s fitness to hold office.
It will also look into the “irretrievable breakdown” in relations between Pikoli and Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla.
Maseko said the inquiry was to decide whether Pikoli, in exercising his discretion to prosecute offenders, had sufficient regard to the nature and extent of the threat posed by organised crime to the national security of the country.
“Whether he, in taking decisions to grant immunity from prosecution or enter into plea-bargaining arrangements with persons who are allegedly involved in illegal activities which constitute organised crime, took due regard for the public interest and the national security interest of the Republic,” Maseko said.
He would not say whether this referred to an alleged plea-bargain allegedly struck with organised crime kingpin suspect Glen Agliotti in exchange for the alleged dirt on Selebi.
The NPA has been investigating Selebi’s alleged links to criminal syndicates, notably his relationship with Agliotti, who has been linked to the murder of Brett Kebble.
If Mbeki decided to dismiss Pikoli following the Ginwala inquiry report, then he would have to inform parliament within 14 days.
“Parliament has the final say over whether Pikoli is fired or not,” Maseko said stating that this formed part of the checks and balances that ensured the executive did not run amok.