SOUTH AFRICA:The man leading an investigation into alleged corruption by South Africa's national police chief has been arrested on graft charges, a police official said yesterday.
Gerrie Nel, a senior official of the Scorpions elite crimefighting unit, was arrested at his home on Tuesday night. He has been leading the investigation of national police chief Jackie Selebi, an ally of South African president Thabo Mbeki.
Corruption allegations are explosive in South Africa, where Mr Mbeki and his rival Jacob Zuma - the new leader of the ruling African National Congress - are locked in a power struggle that has raised investors' fears of political instability. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which oversees the Scorpions, has also charged Mr Zuma with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering. He is due to stand trial in August.
Political analyst Adam Habib said Mr Nel's arrest, which was carried out by almost two dozen armed police officers, created the impression that state institutions were "warring". The Scorpions and police have waged a bitter turf war since 1999.
"I think it's too early [ to tell], but if a negative image of the country is being created, then in the long term it will have an impact on investors," he said.
Police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini said the charges against Mr Nel included perjury, fraud and "defeating the ends of justice". The case is reportedly connected to his testimony in a trial against a member of the FBI-style Scorpions. Mr Nel appeared in court in Pretoria yesterday and was granted bail of 10,000 rand (€993), Sapa news agency reported.
Neither Mr Nel nor his lawyer have commented on the case.
In a statement issued late yesterday, acting NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe expressed "shock and concern" at Mr Nel's arrest and raised questions about the way the police had investigated the case and obtained the warrant against Mr Nel. "The National Prosecuting Authority wishes to express its serious concern about the process followed in this matter," the statement said.
Earlier Mr Mpshe told Talk Radio 702 that Mr Nel's arrest had nothing to do with his conduct in the politically sensitive Selebi case and said it would not influence the decision on whether to charge Mr Selebi.
Mr Selebi, who is also president of Interpol, has come under fire over his friendship with drug smuggler Glenn Agliotti, who is accused of playing a role in the 2005 murder of mining magnate Brett Kebble. Mr Nel was an investigator in the case.