The rise and fall of Selebi

HIS was no ordinary life, it was full of contradictions.

Jackie Selebi lived for the liberation of the people of South Africa, a dream he saw fulfilled in his lifetime. Yet he died a broken man, remembered for his fall from grace, fuelled by greed.

A teacher, a father, a husband Selebi was forced into exile to help liberate his people and came back to serve the new South Africa both as a functionary of the ANC and in service of the state with distinction ... until the fall.

When he was appointed the national police commissioner by former president Thabo Mbeki, few would have predicted what was to follow.

The former diplomat, ANC youth leader, director-general was charged with corruption, convicted and jailed after his confidante, convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti corrupted him.

In finding him guilty of corruption due to his links with Agliotti the Johannesburg High Court found that Selebi and his partner in crime were strangers to the truth”.

Disgraced, but still defiant to the core, Selebi was sentenced to 15 years. He lost a subsequent appeal but served less than a year of the jail term due to ill health.

He was eventually released on medical parole and passed away last week.

So long, Comrade Jackie.