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: 2008-05-08 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla had ordered prosecuting boss Vusi Pikoli not to arrest or prosecute National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi for corruption – after receiving a secret letter from President Thabo Mbeki.
Now, as Pikoli fights to show that his suspension by Mbeki was related solely to his refusal to back down over the Scorpions’ case against Selebi, the government is refusing to hand over the letter.
The government’s legal team have told Pikoli’s lawyers that the document, whose existence was earlier denied by Mbeki’s legal adviser, Mojanku Gumbi, and justice director-general Menzi Simelane, is “privileged”.
Pikoli’s counsel, Wim Trengove SC, on Wednesday blasted this explanation and said the government had yet to “advance any coherent reason (for its refusal to hand over the letter) that the rest of us can coherently debate”.
Sent days after the Scorpions obtained an arrest and search warrant against Selebi, Mbeki’s letter was due on Thursday – the second day of the Ginwala Commission investigating Pikoli’s fitness to hold office – to be the subject of argument between the government and Pikoli’s legal teams.
Any potentially damaging information it may contain will follow Pikoli’s revelations about Mabandla’s distressed reaction to his refusal to stop the Scorpions from acting on its Selebi warrants.
“The minister (Mabandla) burst into a tirade. She asked me whether I thought she was a moron.
“She said she was ‘tired of this rubbish’. She referred to our communication as an ‘unproductive discourse’.
“She accused me of being disrespectful and contemptuous, sending her an ugly letter (referring to Pikoli’s reply to her order that he not arrest Selebi) and of telling people that she loses documents.
“I was shocked by this outburst and the accusations made by the minister,” said Pikoli.
He added that “this was the first time she had responded in this way or made these allegations”.
According to Pikoli, Mabandla “apologised for her outburst” after he reminded her that he had been briefing her about the Selebi situation since March 2006.
He also described Mabandla’s initial letter, which she gave to him after telling him that “she received a letter from the president about the warrants”, as “astonishing” and “completely out of character”.
“I presume that in making this decision (to prefer charges against Selebi), you have taken time to consider the seriousness and gravity of your intended course of action,” she stated.
She told Pikoli that she wanted “all of the information on which you rely” to take steps to arrest and prosecute Selebi, which she said “includes – but is not limited to – specific information or evidence indicating the direct involvement of (Selebi) in any activity that constitutes a crime in terms of the law of South Africa”.
“I must be satisfied that indeed the public interest will be served should you go ahead with your intended course of action,” she added.
According to Pikoli: “The minister then went on to order me not to proceed with the arrest and prosecution of Mr Selebi until she had satisfied herself that sufficient information and evidence existed for it.
“I realise today that it was this turn of events and my refusal to submit to the minister’s order which culminated in my suspension a mere five days later on Sunday September 23 2007.”
In his affidavit, Pikoli revealed that Mbeki – who he met two days before the president sent his secret letter to Mabandla – was surprised that the Scorpions had applied for and obtained warrants against the police chief.
During a 7.45pm meeting on September 23, 2007, and following Mabandla’s request that he resign, Pikoli said he met Mbeki and told him that he was not prepared to do so.
“The president advised me that he would suspend me if I did not resign. I confirmed that, notwithstanding that, I was still not prepared to resign, and the president then informed me that he would give me a letter confirming my suspension.”
Pikoli said Mbeki “suggested that the factor that influenced his decision was the question of plea bargains and witness immunity”, and made no reference to the breakdown in his relationship with Mabandla – the reason the president later advanced for Pikoli’s suspension.
Pikoli added that meeting with Selebi about the investigation against him was “particularly difficult for me”.
“At this meeting, both of us ended up in tears and Mr Selebi was vocal about the Scorpions being used against him,” he said.