Angry Selebi fumes as Scorpions pre-empt cops - Four get immunity to testify against Agliottin - Tycoon killed in bizarre assisted suicide pact
The Star Online
Friday, November 17, 2006 Edition 1
Graeme Hosken and Staff Reporters
The Scorpions have traded the suspected murderer of mining magnate Brett Kebble in exchange for Glenn Agliotti, the "big fish" also referred to as "The Landlord".
The Star has established that the Scorpions have struck a deal with four suspects sought for the murder of Kebble - including the man they say pulled the trigger.
It is understood that the four, who include Kebble's former security expert, Clinton Nassif, have been granted immunity and are now Section 204 state witnesses against Agliotti, the man arrested yesterday and charged with murdering and conspiring to murder Kebble.
Police have long been investigating Agliotti in connection with multiple charges, including racketeering, money laundering and drug trafficking.
National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi said Agliotti's arrest was "not a shock" and was part of a process which began three days ago. Agliotti is a friend of Selebi and called the commissioner from near Kebble's murder scene after the murder.
The Democratic Alliance yesterday called for Selebi to stand down from his position because of his links with Agliotti, but Selebi dismissed this. "Give me one reason why I must resign. I've never denied my relationship with Glenn. Never. It has never been a secret. I don't know of his alleged criminality. He did not tell me about it."
Selebi added that the four people the police were hoping to arrest would have been charged with murder - before the Scorpions intervened.
"Two days ago Divisional Commissioner Johann de Beer, along with his team of specialised investigators, were meant to arrest four people, but they had already submitted themselves to the Scorpions," Selebi told The Star yesterday, adding that the men had been questioned by Scorpions investigators at the weekend and granted immunity.
"I have adopted a 'wait-and-investigate attitude' in this matter and am still being briefed on the ever-changing situation," he said.
Selebi added that the investigation was moving in a particular direction and that more arrests were expected.
Impeccable sources revealed to The Star yesterday that the price on Kebble's head was R1,5-million and that his death was part of a bizarre and elaborate assisted-suicide pact with Agliotti.
The Star's sources disclosed that Kebble had asked Agliotti to assist him with the suicide. Agliotti then approached Nassif, who in turn contracted the gunman, a former Hell's Angels biker whose identity is known to The Star.
Kebble's brother, former Springbok rugby player Guy, said Agliotti was a close friend of the Kebble family. "When I heard that Glenn Agliotti was arrested, I was very surprised Â… The day after Brett was killed, I saw him (Agliotti) at my brother's house. He looked as shattered as everybody else," Guy said.
It is believed that neither the police nor the Scorpions have found the murder weapon, which the killer is said to have destroyed and discarded in various places around Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Explaining why Kebble had approached Agliotti for help to have him killed, The Star's sources said Kebble was in financial debt, which would be resolved only with a big life insurance payout. He knew Agliotti was being investigated for multimillion-rand fraud and promised to make that investigation disappear in return for help with his "suicide".
According to the sources, the four killers are now turning on Agliotti because of "bad blood" around a failed deal over narcotics and counterfeit cigarettes. Late last night it emerged that one of the four men who had turned state witness had disappeared. According to police and Scorpions investigators, they had arranged to meet up with the man after he made his statement, but he failed to turn up as had been arranged.
They also revealed that a senior Joburg police officer was arrested last night over the Kebble probe.