E-mail hoax: Top ex-spy probe
19/05/2006 08:28 - (SA)

Adriaan Basson, Beeld

Johannesburg - Police are investigating fraud charges against one of the country's former spies and an IT specialist suspected of having created false e-mails to discredit senior ANC politicians.

Reliable sources said the Serious Economic Crimes Unit in Pretoria has started interviewing people whose names were mentioned in these e-mails.

One of them was millionaire businessman and ANC member Saki Macozoma, who was illegally spied upon by the national intelligence agency (NIA) under the leadership of Billy Masetlha.

Macozoma said on Thursday he had spoken to police the previous day.

The fraud investigation follows a report on the origins of the e-mails and the surveillance of Macozoma by Zolile Ngcakani, the inspector general of intelligence, which was handed to Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils in March.

Ngcakani found the e-mails were fake, that Masetlha was aware of them, and that a "paid NIA agent" (Muzi Kunene) created the false documents.

Still no arrests

Shortly afterwards, national police chief Jackie Selebi told a media conference attended by the country's security chiefs that the police were "on the verge" of arresting someone.

So far no one has been arrested in this regard, raising questions about Selebi's March 25 statement.

Senior police members with experience in investigating economic crimes are reportedly looking into the case.

Macozoma said he was satisfied with his police interview. "They asked the correct questions," he said, adding that fraud is the "criminal element" they are investigating.

National police spokesperson Sally de Beer didn't want to confirm anything.

"That's not how we operate. I cannot say a thing before we go to court."

Plot to end careers of Zuma, Motlanthe

The e-mails indicated a plot between senior politicians, business people, government employees and journalists to end the political careers of ANC deputy leader Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe, secretary general of the ANC.

Those involved in the plot allegedly included Macozoma, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, her husband and former national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, members of the Scorpions, and a former Defence Force general.

The documents caused an uproar in the ANC after Motlanthe distributed copies at a meeting of the party's national executive committee and requested that they be investigated.

Justification for spying

Ngcakani's report found that the e-mails were used as justification for the NIA to spy on people like Macozoma, DA leader Tony Leon, and Professor Anton Harber, head of the Wits journalism department.

President Thabo Mbeki fired Masetlha shortly before the IGI's report was made known, saying the relationship between them had "disintegrated irreparably".

ANC conducting its own investigation

The ANC has meanwhile initiated its own investigation into the authenticity and origins of the e-mails.

This was being led by senior ANC members who served in security structures such as Mkhonto Wesizwe, and was taking place behind closed doors.

It was not yet clear who testified at the ANC's commission and what the commission's mandate was.

The SACP earlier this week announced that its central committee will decide at the weekend if it will take part in the investigation.