South Africa ex-police chief jailed for 15 years

Pretoria, 03 Aug-(ANA)-A South African court has sentenced former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi to 15 years in jail for corruption.

Selebi, a former president of Interpol, was convicted in July of receiving bribes from a drug dealer.

Convicted dealer Glenn Agliotti paid Selebi 1.2m rand ($156,000; £103,000) to turn a blind eye to his business.

Selebi is the most senior official appointed by the country's government to have been convicted of corruption.

The sentence is the minimum recommended for senior police officers found guilty of corruption.

Judge Joffe Meyer in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg described Selebi as "an embarrassment" and a "stranger to the truth" in the witness box.

"At no stage during the trial did the accused display any indication of remorse. The accused lied and fabricated evidence in an effort to escape the consequences of his conduct," the judge said.

Selebi was given 14 days to file an appeal. During this time he will be free on bail.

Wearing a grey suit and a light pink shirt, Selebi sat and listened to the 45-minute judgement without showing emotion.

The 60-year-old was well connected in the ruling African National Congress government.

He was also a former president of the ANC Youth League, served as South Africa's representative at the UN and was a close ally of former President Thabo Mbeki. (ANA)

FA/ANA/03 August 2010--------