Businessman tells of grilling by Scorpions

A top associate of Jacob Zuma admits the Scorpions accused him of plotting to kill KwaZulu-Natal's Judge President, Vuka Tshabalala.

Judge Tshabalala, who appointed the judge for Zuma's fraud and corruption trial last year, confirmed that his security had to be beefed up amid fears about a mystery BMW that had been following him.

The incident apparently occurred just before the start of the Zuma trial last year, but details of the alleged plot have only now emerged.

The man accused of shadowing Judge Tshabalala is 31-year-old Erwin Ullbricht, a Durban businessman who says he is proud to be an associate of Zuma.

He was questioned by the Scorpions last August in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Tshabalala and for allegedly following the judge.

The BMW 318 involved in the incident was traced to one of Ullbricht's associates, a Durban lawyer.

Contacted yesterday, Judge Tshabalala said he had received "intelligence" that he was being followed by a BMW and the police had beefed up his security as a result.

"It was not clear why this person was following me. I don't know whether he was looking for information on the places I went to or who I was speaking to," he said.

This had happened not long before the start of the Zuma fraud and corruption trial in Pietermaritzburg last year - and just before he had announced the name of the judge who would preside in the case.

Judge Tshabalala said the National Prosecuting Authority had not informed him about the grilling of Ullbricht, who unknown to him.

The Zuma case was presided over by Mr Justice Qedusizi Msimang, who eventually struck it off the roll due to repeated delays.

Ullbricht reacted angrily yesterday when contacted.

He said the NPA grilling was part of an attempt to "tackle" people close to Zuma.

"I met the (two NPA investigators) with my lawyer and they said that they had received information from the director of special operations that there was a threat to (Tshabalala's) life. They said they believed I had been following the judge and that I was trying to assassinate him.

"I told them that the days of the justice system harassing the people without evidence were over.

"I have never followed the judge and I don't even know where he stays. They've got to have proof of that.

"Nobody is going to question my relationship with Zuma. I'm proud of my association with him."

Ullbricht, 31, has organised lavish parties for Zuma in the past.

Zuma had listed Ullbricht in parliament's register of members' interests as having paid for a party for him some years ago.

The Scorpions also questioned Durban lawyer Keith Mothilal, owner of the BMW.

Mothilal said he had sold the car to Ullbricht.

"Two investigators from the NPA came to see me asking me about the ownership of the car that Erwin was driving.

"They said that Erwin was using my car when he followed Tshabalala's convoy and I told them Ullbricht had bought the car from me and was paying me monthly," he said.

The home of Ullbricht's father-in-law in Chatsworth, south of Durban, was searched by the Scorpions as they gathered evidence for the Zuma fraud trial in August 2005.

With acknowledgements to Sibusiso Ngalwa and Cape Argus.