Zuma to use Pikoli evidence to back 'political conspiracy' theory

This emerged at yesterday's sitting of the Ginwala Commission probing the fitness of Vusi Pikoli to hold the office of National Director of Public Prosecutions, writes E-Brief News - and the President-in-waiting's lawyers have been quick to pounce on it to support their 'political conspiracy' defence of corruption charges against Zuma. According to a Cape Times report, it is understood Zuma's lawyer, Michael Hulley, used Pikoli's submissions to the Ginwala inquiry in a failed bid to convince the Mauritian Supreme Court that the case against Zuma was marked by 'political interference' by President Thabo Mbeki. Now Zuma's legal team have indicated that they will seek transcripts of the evidence given by Pikoli to the Ginwala Commission yesterday. Pikoli testified Mbeki had been briefed and fully supported the Scorpions' raids on Zuma's offices. Full Cape Times report (subscription needed)

'There were no objections to the searches. There were no reservations to the searches,' were the words Pikoli used at yesterday's hearing, according to an SABC News report. He explained that once the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) had secured the warrants he told Mbeki, Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla and Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and no-one raised any concerns. Full SABC News report

Pikoli had to defend his assertion that he was suspended to stop the Selebi investigation. Advocate Kgomotso Moroka, on behalf of the state, contended that President Thabo Mbeki and Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla 'went out of their way' to assist Pikoli in the NPA's investigations in the Selebi case. 'After your suspension, the Selebi prosecution continued. How can you then say that you were suspended to avoid the prosecution,' asked Moroka, according to a Beeld report. Pikoli said Mbeki and Mabandla changed their attitudes after a warrant for Selebi's arrest had been issued. 'If you look into the totality of activities prior and immediately after my suspension it is quite clear that I was suspended to stop the arrest and prosecution of the National Commissioner of Police. There is no doubt in my mind,' Pikoli is quoted as saying in a report on the IoL site. He pointed out he had also received a letter from Mabandla telling him to stop the investigation. 'I was ready to proceed in terms of all the available evidence I had at the time. There was a letter written by the Minister which is VP12 (the label of the document in the inquiry) which was written to stop me in my tracks,' he said. Full report on the IoL site Full Beeld report

On the issue of the Special Browse Mole Report, Pikoli said he had a feeling it would cause trouble but didn't do anything about it immediately because he was advised to 'file' it and his department already had a heavy workload. 'It was one of those documents that you wish you have never seen. I had this gut feel about this document, that this was going to cause trouble,' he is quoted as saying in a Mail & Guardian Online report. At the time the DSO was busy with high profile investigations and dealing with matters relating to the Khampepe Commission into the dispute over whether the DSO, an investigative unit, should stay in the Justice and Constitutional Development Department or be moved to the South African Police Service. 'We were rather stressed out,' he said. Full Mail & Guardian Online report