Selebi was targeted 'because he was black'

Published Oct 10, 2009

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ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema on Friday slammed the prosecution for granting immunity to Glenn Agliotti and Billy Rautenbach, saying Jackie Selebi was targeted "because he was black".

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Malema said all three men should have been in the dock for their criminal activities.

He said the focus on Selebi, like in the Jacob Zuma case, was because "someone" wanted to prove that Africans could not be trusted.

"We need to ask ourselves who entered into an agreement with these two men (Agliotti and Rautenbach). And what was the agenda? The agenda is very simple. Don't laugh at Jackie Selebi and look at him and say he is going down.

"Don't celebrate that especially when you are black, especially when you are an African, because in Jackie Selebi they want to prove a point they failed to prove in Zuma: that we (Africans) are corrupt, we like easy money, we like alcohol, we like women and we've got no skill.

"Jackie was an international leader. He was leading Interpol and they want to show the world that these people (Africans) you can never trust them with such responsibility," said Malema.

Malema said he could not believe that Rautenbach and Agliotti had their charges dropped in return for testimony to "destroy" Selebi, who was facing only three criminal charges.

Malema was addressing the Black Management Forum's annual conference in Midrand.

Malema accused the National Prosecuting Authority of being "desperate" to nail Selebi, who is facing allegations of corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

"It cannot be that because you've got an agenda to destroy Selebi ... (that) you go and connive with the most dangerous criminals to try and nail down Jackie Selebi, whose part of his charges is not even murder. Agliotti is a known criminal.

"It cannot be that in the name of justice you drop the charges against Agliotti because you want to nail one of our own. You drop 33 charges to get only three charges.

"I am not saying Jackie Selebi must not be charged ... but I am saying the three of them deserve to be charged," Malema said to rapturous laughter and applause.

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