Nassif affidavit leaked with ‘ulterior motive’ – lawyer

Lawyer Marius du Toit said he was aware of the existence of a draft affidavit as he had been contacted about it by a number of journalists. Kebble died two years ago in a hail of bullets in Melrose, Johannesburg, while on his way to a dinner engagement. However, the man accused of killing him, businessman Glenn Agliotti, later told the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court that Kebble\'s death was, in fact, an assisted suicide. He claimed that Kebble had first planned to drug his pilot and die in a plane crash, but later opted for a botched car hijacking. Nassif, Kebble\'s former head of security, allegedly ordered the premature removal from police custody of Kebble\'s car. He was arrested last year by Scorpions probing contraband networks around Kebble. Talk Radio 702 news reported yesterday that Nassif was applying for a blanket indemnity for his role in the Kebble killing, the shooting of Allan Gray businessman Stephen Mildenhall, drugs charges, tax evasion and fraud. The details it disclosed were contained in what it claimed was a draft affidavit made in support of Nassif\'s application. Du Toit said Nassif\'s legal team could not ‘vouch for its correctness’. He did not know who could have leaked the draft affidavit to the media, and said whoever did had done so with ‘ulterior motives’. Full Mail & Guardian Online report

The draft affidavit drawn up for investigators by Nassif allegedly describes what happened at the scene of the Kebble killing. The Cape Argus, quoting from a 702 Eyewitness News report, says Nassif claims that when the gun used to kill Brett Kebble jammed, the mining magnate desperately chased down the shooter and convinced him to try again – this time successfully. Agliotti has previously presented to court an affidavit in which he claims the shooting was an assisted suicide in which he was involved. The draft affidavit reportedly explains that Nassif was first approached by Kebble\'s business partner, John Stratton, to find a tablet that could induce a heart attack and then not be traced. Nassif was later flabbergasted to discover that the pill was intended for Kebble, who wanted to take it as he was no longer able to handle the pressures in his life. Full Cape Argus report

The strained relationship between the Scorpions and SAPS is expected to worsen following the latest developments. According to The Citizen, the Scorpions have given prosecution immunity to Nassif in exchange for his testimony against Agliotti. At the same time the police, led by Director Piet Byleveldt, were reportedly running their own investigation into Nassif. The Citizen quotes a Radio 702 report as saying Nassif has demanded immunity from prosecution for a variety of serious crimes attributed to him. He wants the Scorpions to grant him immunity from prosecution for the mining tycoon’s murder, his insurance-fraud case and income tax charges related to money received from Kebble’s and the JCI group. But in what it describes as a shocking revelation, Nassif also wants indemnity for the role he played in the Cape Town shooting of Allan Gray investment official Stephen Mildenhall, the radio station said. Full report in The Citizen