Former police chief Jackie Selebi’s advocate has told the South Gauteng High Court there is a “real possibility” that the defence will recall self-confessed drug dealer Glenn Agliotti to testify in Selebi’s case.
This comes after the state closed its case in Selebi’s marathon corruption trial, which started in October last year, on Tuesday morning. Selebi’s counsel, Jaap Cilliers, told Judge Meyer Joffe that the defence would now consult with all state witnesses not used by the prosecution in their case.
This includes police head of detectives Rayman Lalla and former intelligence bosses Manala Manzini and Arthur Fraser.
The defence would then apply for the recall of certain witnesses before bringing an application for Selebi’s discharge.
Joffe questioned Cilliers over whether he was allowed to consult a witness before bringing a discharge application. Cilliers said he was allowed because if Agliotti or his former fiancée, Dianne Muller, were recalled, their evidence would form part of the state’s case.
Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel disagreed. “The state has now closed its case M’lord. We have put in front of the court evidence we think is enough for a reasonable court to convict the accused.”
Cilliers said: “We cannot and are not willing to proceed with a matter where we are not properly prepared.”
He indicated that the defence would rely heavily on Agliotti’s video recording with intelligence officials and that people involved in the recording were “very important witnesses”.
The matter has been postponed until April.