Convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti is a liar, his
ex-fiancee Dianne Muller, who is a witness in the corruption trial
of former police head Jackie Selebi, said on Wednesday.
"I expect we both know the credibility of Mr Agliotti. I never
took anything he said as fact," she told defence lawyer Jaap
Cilliers.
The petite blonde told the High Court in Johannesburg their
relationship eventually ended because of his lies.
"I moved him out of my house because of his inability to tell me
the truth. The more he thought he was untouchable and above the law
the more of a handful he became."
Earlier, Muller said Agliotti believed his friendship with
Selebi put him above the law.
"Agliotti started to believe that he was larger than life. That
he was bigger than anyone. That he could do anything. That the law
could not touch him because he was friends with the accused."
Muller said since Agliotti's arrest in 2006 in a drug bust, her
life had been a "living hell".
She said she never assisted Agliotti with the case or discussed
the matter with anyone.
Muller -- who admitted to being nervous at the beginning of her
testimony -- more than held her mettle against Cilliers' badgering
style of questioning.
Making eye contact with him, she refuted and often reprimanded
him for making claims about inconsistencies in her statements or
untoward influences that shaped her testimony.
At one stage Cilliers alleged she changed details in her
testimony from an affidavit she previously wrote to "make a
stronger version against the accused".
"That is incorrect. Nobody ever discussed the case with me since
I did the statement," she replied in confident, clipped tones,
raising her hands.
She also did not get drawn into minute detail Cilliers wanted to
ask her, telling him at one stage "I don't understand what you are
asking me".
Earlier, she detailed having packed R110,000 in cash for Selebi
at offices in Midrand which Agliotti also used.
"I counted R110,000 and put it in a white bank bag. I took it
down to the boardroom and put the bag in front of Agliotti. He put
his hands on the bag and slid it across to Jackie Selebi and said,
'Here you go, my China'.
"About 20 or 30 minutes later Glenn shouted Selebi is leaving. I
waved goodbye and he [Selebi] had the bank bag in his possession."
During cross-examination, she reiterated she saw Selebi leaving
with the bank bag.
"He left with the bank bag in his hand."
Cilliers then asked her if he left with "a" bank bag, or "the"
bank bag.
She asserted that neither Agliotti nor Selebi had any cases in
the boardroom, and that it was a white Nedbank bag.
After further prodding, she told him: "It's the truth, Mr
Cilliers. That is what happened."
Asked about details of payments made through an account for the
company Spring Lights -- which apparently was used to channel
payments from slain mining magnate Brett Kebble and his associates
-- she said Cilliers should ask other witness.
"Feel free to ask my father [Martin Flint, the financial
director of her company], he handles the details. You are asking
the wrong person that question."
Muller described the relationship between Agliotti and Selebi as
a "friendship of gain".
"I think they used each other for what they could gain from the
friendship."
Muller said after the payment of R110,000, she brought up the
issue with Agliotti.
"I had a discussion with Agliotti and I said that I felt it was
not really the way for things to happen, that the national police
commissioner was to be paid off by Glenn Agliotti.
"He told me to mind my own business."
Muller detailed several other occasions where she saw Agliotti
buy gifts for Selebi and his family, as well as prepare envelopes
stuffed with money and initialled JS.
She said on average, Selebi came to the offices that she moved
her business into in 2004, twice a month, always "dressed in full
uniform".
Earlier, Muller was warned that, like Agliotti, she would
receive Section 204 indemnity from prosecution on various charges
if she was found to have testified "frankly and honestly".
According to Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act, a person
guilty of criminal conduct may testify on behalf of the State in
exchange for indemnity from prosecution.
Court will resume on Thursday morning to allow the defence time
to consult the record of Muller's evidence.
Selebi is facing a charge of corruption and another of defeating
the ends of justice in connection with at least R1.2 million he
allegedly received from Agliotti and others in return for favours.
ex-fiancee Dianne Muller, who is a witness in the corruption trial
of former police head Jackie Selebi, said on Wednesday.
"I expect we both know the credibility of Mr Agliotti. I never
took anything he said as fact," she told defence lawyer Jaap
Cilliers.
The petite blonde told the High Court in Johannesburg their
relationship eventually ended because of his lies.
"I moved him out of my house because of his inability to tell me
the truth. The more he thought he was untouchable and above the law
the more of a handful he became."
Earlier, Muller said Agliotti believed his friendship with
Selebi put him above the law.
"Agliotti started to believe that he was larger than life. That
he was bigger than anyone. That he could do anything. That the law
could not touch him because he was friends with the accused."
Muller said since Agliotti's arrest in 2006 in a drug bust, her
life had been a "living hell".
She said she never assisted Agliotti with the case or discussed
the matter with anyone.
Muller -- who admitted to being nervous at the beginning of her
testimony -- more than held her mettle against Cilliers' badgering
style of questioning.
Making eye contact with him, she refuted and often reprimanded
him for making claims about inconsistencies in her statements or
untoward influences that shaped her testimony.
At one stage Cilliers alleged she changed details in her
testimony from an affidavit she previously wrote to "make a
stronger version against the accused".
"That is incorrect. Nobody ever discussed the case with me since
I did the statement," she replied in confident, clipped tones,
raising her hands.
She also did not get drawn into minute detail Cilliers wanted to
ask her, telling him at one stage "I don't understand what you are
asking me".
Earlier, she detailed having packed R110,000 in cash for Selebi
at offices in Midrand which Agliotti also used.
"I counted R110,000 and put it in a white bank bag. I took it
down to the boardroom and put the bag in front of Agliotti. He put
his hands on the bag and slid it across to Jackie Selebi and said,
'Here you go, my China'.
"About 20 or 30 minutes later Glenn shouted Selebi is leaving. I
waved goodbye and he [Selebi] had the bank bag in his possession."
During cross-examination, she reiterated she saw Selebi leaving
with the bank bag.
"He left with the bank bag in his hand."
Cilliers then asked her if he left with "a" bank bag, or "the"
bank bag.
She asserted that neither Agliotti nor Selebi had any cases in
the boardroom, and that it was a white Nedbank bag.
After further prodding, she told him: "It's the truth, Mr
Cilliers. That is what happened."
Asked about details of payments made through an account for the
company Spring Lights -- which apparently was used to channel
payments from slain mining magnate Brett Kebble and his associates
-- she said Cilliers should ask other witness.
"Feel free to ask my father [Martin Flint, the financial
director of her company], he handles the details. You are asking
the wrong person that question."
Muller described the relationship between Agliotti and Selebi as
a "friendship of gain".
"I think they used each other for what they could gain from the
friendship."
Muller said after the payment of R110,000, she brought up the
issue with Agliotti.
"I had a discussion with Agliotti and I said that I felt it was
not really the way for things to happen, that the national police
commissioner was to be paid off by Glenn Agliotti.
"He told me to mind my own business."
Muller detailed several other occasions where she saw Agliotti
buy gifts for Selebi and his family, as well as prepare envelopes
stuffed with money and initialled JS.
She said on average, Selebi came to the offices that she moved
her business into in 2004, twice a month, always "dressed in full
uniform".
Earlier, Muller was warned that, like Agliotti, she would
receive Section 204 indemnity from prosecution on various charges
if she was found to have testified "frankly and honestly".
According to Section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act, a person
guilty of criminal conduct may testify on behalf of the State in
exchange for indemnity from prosecution.
Court will resume on Thursday morning to allow the defence time
to consult the record of Muller's evidence.
Selebi is facing a charge of corruption and another of defeating
the ends of justice in connection with at least R1.2 million he
allegedly received from Agliotti and others in return for favours.
