Lawyers bid to stop police slush fund revelations

The paper says the lawyers demanded documents relating to the report be handed over. However, after consultations between lawyers for the Sunday Times and the state, no interdict application was launched. The report details how businessman Panganathan Timmy Marimuthu, a close friend of suspended National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele, with a conviction for drug dealing , and his family were paid more than R1.6m from the fund in less than two years. Major-General Solly Lazarus, the secret service fund's overseer, allegedly approved the transfer of funds. The report notes Lazarus reports to Mdluli, whose family members were also signed up as covert agents and implicated in looting the secret service fund. The Sunday Times points out that in 1992 Marimuthu was sentenced to three years' jail for drug dealing - but never spent a day behind bars. Evidence given to the Jali Commission into corruption in SA prisons in 2002 alleged Marimuthu paid R100 000 to Westville Prison officials to avoid spending time in prison. Marimuthu is understood to be the prominent KZN individual named in a report by Major-General Mark Hankel as central to the looting of the secret service account. Full Sunday Times report

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is to decide this week whether or not to probe the controversial reinstatement of Mdluli, says a Sunday Tribune report. Mdluli returned to his job this month after the withdrawal of murder and fraud charges against him, amid claims of political interference, notes the report. His return to work led to the DA and the FW de Klerk Foundation lodging complaints with Madonsela's office. Madonsela apparently told the paper she was still assessing the merits of the complaints and would, on Tuesday (tomorrow), announce her decision whether or not to investigate. Full Sunday Tribune report (subscription needed)