The star online
Friday, November 17, 2006 Edition 1
Karyn Maughan
The lawyer for Brett Kebble's former security boss, Clinton Nassif, says it would be premature for him to reveal whether Nassif will testify against Glenn Agliotti.
Marius du Toit last night told The Star he could not comment on reports that Nassif had turned state witness against Agliotti.
"That is something that you must ask the Scorpions Â… this is a delicate matter and there is nothing we would say or do to jeopardise their investigation," he said.
Du Toit said it was his understanding that the Scorpions were still proceeding with their insurance fraud case against Nassif, whose Central National Security company provided guards for Kebble's JCI group, as well as private intelligence services for Kebble.
It is believed that Nassif, who is under house arrest after his appearance in court last month over the alleged insurance fraud, persuaded the police to release Kebble's Mercedes-Benz before proper forensic tests had been performed on it.
After what was labelled a botched crime scene investigation following Kebble's killing, police took the car to the Serious and Violent Crime Unit in Alexandra. The next day, Nassif's company allegedly contacted Danmar panelbeaters to pick up the car from the police.
Over the next eight days, flocks of people came to look at the car at Danmar, touching it and taking photographs of its interior. The S600 Mercedes was then cleaned thoroughly before being returned to police, effectively destroying any valuable forensic evidence that it might have contained.
Nassif is currently facing a charge of submitting a false insurance claim after lightly damaging his E55 Mercedes in January 2004. According to a provisional charge sheet, Nassif was unlawfully paid out R500 000 for the car that he, together with others, further damaged after the accident.
At the time of his court appearance, the Scorpions' Gauteng boss, Gerrie Nel, who is also prosecuting Agliotti, told the court that Nassif was preparing an affidavit. He said that if the state was satisfied with this statement, Nassif's bail application might not be opposed.
Because Nassif is the only accused in the fraud case against him, there would be no benefit to the state offering him a deal for his testimony in relation to that matter. It therefore seems that whatever evidence he may offer the state could be used against Agliotti.