Johannesburg - Jackie Selebi was convicted of corruption nearly four years ago but the police still haven’t decided whether to make him pay for his lawyers.
“The decision on whether to recover is still under consideration,” said Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa in a reply to a question in Parliament yesterday from DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard. She asked whether national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega had made a final decision on the issue.
Selebi’s legal fees in his failed attempt to fight corruption charges were paid by the SAPS as he was commissioner of police at the time of the offence.
Phiyega’s office did not respond to a request for comment. It’s not the first time Kohler Barnard has tried to get clarity on this from the Ministry of Police. Last year, she asked the minister if Selebi had repaid the state the R17.4 million spent on legal fees.
“The department has recently received representation from former national commissioner Selebi’s legal representatives for consideration by the national commissioner,” said the minister in a reply to Parliament in April last year.
Months later, the police were still waiting.
Selebi was convicted of corruption in July 2010 for accepting bribes from drug dealer Glenn Agliotti and a month later sentenced to 15 years in jail. In December 2011, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against his conviction. He collapsed, apparently from the shock.
In July 2012, he was released on medical parole following a decision by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board.
The Star