SOUTH AFRICA’S former police chief Jackie Selebi tipped off drug dealer Glenn Agliotti that Irish security expert Paul O’Sullivan was helping the authorities build a case against him, a high court has heard.
State witness Agliotti told the Johannesburg court how Mr Selebi handed him a copy of an e-mail in 2006 that Mr O’Sullivan had sent to the Scorpions, South Africa’s now disbanded version of the FBI, which contained information about the investigation into both men.
“I was playing golf when the accused [Selebi] phoned me. We met in the parking lot at the Makro [supermarket] in Woodmead [Johannesburg] where I parked next to his car. I got into the back of his car and he gave me the document,” Agliotti said yesterday.
Mr Selebi allegedly told Agliotti, who has become a state witness in return for immunity, that he should give the document to his legal team. “He [Selebi] said this could discredit the Scorpions because they were clearly using O’Sullivan in this investigation,” said Agliotti.
Mr O’Sullivan (53), former head of security at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport, is a key whistleblower in the case against South Africa’s former police commissioner.
After a run-in with Mr Selebi which he says cost him his job, the one-time British military intelligence operative proceeded to bring key witnesses and information to the Scorpions’ attention regarding the former police chief’s alleged corrupt and fraudulent activities. It is understood the Co Tipperary native left South Africa in 2006 for safety reasons.
Mr Selebi, who was also Interpol’s president until January 2008, is facing charges of corruption, fraud and defeating the ends of justice .
He denies the charges, and claims the case is motivated by a political conspiracy against him involving former National Prosecuting Authority bosses Bulelani Ngcuka and Vusi Pikoli.
Agliotti told the court yesterday, his second day on the stand, that he made numerous payments to Mr Selebi for “friendship” and “business” reasons.
“I made payments to the accused because, firstly, we were friends and I needed him in my business deals,” he said.
However, he testified that of the $1 million he extracted from murdered mining tycoon Brett Kebble in return for favours from Mr Selebi, the police chief was given less than $100,000.
During the cross-examination by defence lawyer Jaap Cilliers, a further web of intrigue began to emerge that appeared to discredit Mr Ngcuka and Mr Pikoli.
An e-mail sent to Mr Selebi by a lawyer working for ex-Hyundai boss Billy Rautenbach, who is also accused of bribing the former top cop, was produced by the defence, and it contained an allegation that Mr Ngcuka was suspected of being controlled by foreign agents.
Such was the highly charged and emotional atmosphere that Agliotti wept at having to testify against his one-time friend, Mr Selebi, and had to be excused to gather his composure.
“My Lord, it’s not easy being here. I didn’t want to be here to testify against my then friend and the accused,” he told the judge.