FORMER SOUTH African police chief Jackie Selebi was found guilty of corruption yesterday by a Johannesburg court, but acquitted on a charge of defeating the ends of justice.
At the end of the marathon nine-month trial Selebi, who was also a former Interpol president, and key prosecution witness Glen Agliotti, were widely criticised by high court judge Meyer Joffe, who said both had a habit of “fabricating evidence and lying”.
“There is a stigma in society about labelling a witness a liar . . . But that is what the accused did,” the judge said, before adding: “It is a finding that, as head of the Saps [South African police service] . . . he had a low moral fibre and cannot be relied upon.”
Earlier the judge said Agliotti, who is a convicted drug dealer, had been an “untruthful” and “unreliable” witness during the trial.
Lawyers for Selebi had argued the former police chief was the victim of a politically motivated prosecution because he believed the elite crime-fighting unit, the Scorpions, should be disbanded.
However, the judge said no evidence had been put before him that supported this theory.
The corruption charge against Selebi related to him receiving up to €110,000 and numerous gifts from various people in return for preferential treatment from the police.
One of those said to have benefited from the police chief’s relationship with Agliotti was murdered mining magnate Bret Kebble. According to the prosecution Selebi agreed to meet Kebble as a favour to Agliotti, who allegedly paid the former to grant people such an audience.
At the time the meetings took place in 2004, Kebble was under police surveillance.
Consequently, the judge said it was inconceivable the Saps boss would involve himself in the “political education of Kebble and his associates”.
National prosecuting authority spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said after the judgement was handed down that Selebi’s conviction was a “true reflection of the proper administration of justice”.
The verdict was roundly supported by political and civil society groups, who said it showed that the powerful in South Africa were not above the law.
Selebi was granted bail and ordered to appear again on July 14th next when he will be sentenced.