Publication: Pretoria News Issued: Date: 2007-02-17 Reporter: Moshoeshoe Monare

Arms Deal: 'We'll Go to Court for Info'

 

Publication 

Pretoria News
Date

2007-02-17

Reporter

 Moshoeshoe Monare

Web Link

www.pretorianews.co.za

 

Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla says she will go to court, if need be, to force those implicated in the arms deal corruption involving a UK company to co-operate with the British authorities.

She confirmed that SA was in touch with the British Serious Fraud Office, which is investigating BAE Systems for bribery allegations in securing a R30 billion arms contract to manufacture trainer jets.

Mabandla said at a cabinet cluster media briefing yesterday that the British request came last year and her department "interacted with the NPA and currently we are in contact with this office in Britain".

"We have been approached by the UK serious fraud office and we have proposed the process that we think suitable," she said.

She said the SA government was co-operating with the British authorities. "Our approach is that information must be acquired through the SA police. If that fails we should go through the court."

Her spokesperson Zolile Nqayi said: "The department will invoke the provision of the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act to compel the individuals and/or companies to be interviewed or give the required documents through our courts, should they refuse to participate voluntarily or refuse to provide information voluntarily to the British [authorities]."

With acknowledgements to Moshoeshoe Monare and Pretoria News.


This I'll believe when I see actually it.