Johannesburg - Willie Hofmeyr, the former head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, has accused the suspended boss of the Special Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU), Lawrence Mrwebi, of having leaked crucial minutes of a Scorpions meeting to former police national commissioner Jackie Selebi.
On Tuesday Hofmeyr, during his cross-examination, gave a detailed account of his claim against Mrwebi at the Mokgoro Inquiry, led by retired Constitutional Court Judge Yvonne Mokgoro.
The inquiry is probing the fitness of Mrwebi and former deputy national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba to hold office in the NPA.
Hofmeyr said the strategy was developed while Selebi was already facing criminal charges. Hofmeyr told the commission that in January 2008, Mrwebi supplied the minutes of the Scorpions’ strategic meeting to Selebi.
“Mr Selebi then filed two affidavits to the high court in support of his application for a permanent stay of prosecution. One of the affidavits was that of Glenn Agliotti, and another by Lawrence Mrwebi,” Hofmeyr said.
He said Mrwebi’s affidavit detailed how the Scorpions had strategised to reverse a plan to force them to be integrated into the SAPS, then under Selebi. Hofmeyr said Selebi used Mrwebi’s affidavit to argue that his prosecution was prompted by the desire of Scorpions members to remain under the control of the NPA, but the court rejected this version.
Hofmeyr confirmed that the Scorpions had wanted to remain within the NPA. “They were also of the view that the ANC policy conference resolutions were not binding,” he said.
But to their dismay, Hofmeyr said, the ANC elective conference in Polokwane in December 2007 endorsed their disbandment.
This was the second time Hofmeyr had reiterated Mrwebi’s alleged active role in trying to politically interfere in the prosecution of Selebi.
He said during Selebi’s trial, Mrwebi, while holding a senior position in the NPA, testified as a defence witness, ye no disciplinary action was taken against him. The hearings continue.