Police must arrest Gaddafi henchman

The DA will request that the Portfolio Committee on Police convene an urgent meeting to obtain clarity from the acting Head of the Crime Intelligence Unit, Chris Ncgobo, as to how Muammar Gaddafi's former Chief of Staff, Bashir Saleh, who is on Interpol's most wanted list, has not been arrested. This is despite being seen in South Africa on several occasions (see Sunday Times report). Furthermore, that Ngcobo informs Parliament on when the arrest of Mr Saleh will be carried out.

The committee should also conduct an investigation into how and why someone on an international most-wanted list was invited to the ANC's centenary dinner in Manguang in January 2012, and whether this was known prior to his attending it, and by whom.

The fact that he was also spotted at the 5th BRICS summit in Durban this year, and that he is able to fly regularly - without being detained - between South Africa, Swaziland and Niger, points to someone with connections in high-places in the current government.

If this is the case, and his identity was fully known, then it would seem that South Africa is deliberately harbouring a fugitive.

This latest development is a devastating blow to our country's already tattered image in Interpol, following disgraced former President of Interpol, Jackie Selebi's tenure. This was an opportunity to correct this, and the question that must now be asked is why it wasn't taken.

Urgent action must now be taken to rectify this. Bashir Saleh must be immediately arrested and a full investigation conducted so that the world knows that South Africa will not allow itself to become a safe haven for international criminals.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, June 2 2013

Source: Interpol

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter