SA officials pass buck on arms deal probe
The UKs Serious Fraud Office (SFO), which recently asked SA to assist in a formal inquiry into controversial weapons transactions involving arms giant BAE, a major player in SAs controversial arms deal, was unaware that its request was being bounced between departments who found it too hot to handle, writes E-Brief News.
It has been passed to a fifth successive state organ like a hot potato, this time from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) back to the police. This, notes a report in The Witness, is despite the police having decided earlier that they were not suited to deal with the request. The SFO inquiry into corruption in the arms deal involving 24 Hawk jet trainers was described by experts as a hot potato because no SA authority has come up with anything on it in seven months. The SFO were not aware that their request had been handed back for reconsideration to the police division for serious economic offences.
Full report in The Witness
President Thabo Mbeki has reacted angrily to the UK move, mocking British Prime Minister Tony Blairs reasons for cancelling a graft investigation into BAE Systems dealings with the Saudi Government, while demanding an investigation of SAs involvement with the same company. The Sunday Times says that his surprise broadside follows a request by Britains Serious Fraud Office that the Scorpions assist its probe into alleged kickbacks paid by BAE to the staff of former Defence Minister Joe Modise, in exchange for buying their aircraft. Mbeki stunned a crowd at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos including the Nato supreme commander and business heavyweights Patrice Motsepe and Tony Trahar with his bitterness over British double standards. Mbeki said the move had left SA tainted with the spectre of corruption, and confirmed his belief that African countries were unfairly singled out in bribery inquiries.
Full Sunday Times report