Interpol chief faces charges of corruption

SOUTH AFRICA’S prosecuting authority will charge national police chief and head of Interpol JackieSelebi with corruption, a spokes- man said last night.

“A decision has been made, he will be charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice,” said Tlali Tlali, spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Selebi, an ally of President Thabo Mbeki and president of the international police organisation Interpol, has denied any wrongdoing.

His legal team went to court yesterday in a bid to prevent his prosecution, but the judge rejected the application.

A copy of Selebi’s indictment covers a range of charges that include receiving payments from his friend Glenn Agliotti, a convicted drug smuggler accused of playing a role in the 2005 murder of a SouthAfrican mining magnate Brett Kebble.

The decision to charge Selebi is likely to raise the political temperature in South Africa, where Mr Mbeki and his rivalJacob Zuma — new leader of the ruling ANC — are locked in a power struggle that has raised investors’ fears of political instability.

The NPA charged Zuma with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering less than two weeks after he won the party leadership from Mr Mbeki last month, fuelling allegations it had been used as a political weapon.

Court papers filed by the NPA before the decision to charge Selebi was made public said he faced no prospect of imminent arrest.

Gerrie Nel, who was leading the investigation into Selebi, was arrested by police on corruption charges on Tuesday night.

He has been released on bail and is due in court on Monday.

The Selebi indictment says between 2000 and 2005 Selebi received at least 1.2 million rand (€120,000) from Mr Agliotti and his associates.