On Friday, the court on Friday had rejected an urgent application by Jackie Selebi to stop the prosecution. While he is the police chief of South Africa, Selebi also acts as the president of Interpol.
Selebi is alleged to have received at least $170,000 in over a five-year period from a convicted criminal. While he has been under investigation last year, Selebi has denied any wrongdoing.
An affidavit said that it was a corrupt relationship between Selebi and local businessman Glen Agliotti. Recently, Agliotti received a ten-year prison sentenced that was suspended. The prison sentence was in regards to a drug case. The sentence was suspended after a plea bargain.
Selebi has also been accused of being involved in the killing of mining magnate Brett Kebble in 2005.
According to correspondents, the charges against Selebi are controversial.
Some have accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of playing politics. Newly-elected ANC president Jacob Zuma has accused the NPA of pressing charges against him as part of the fight for power between him and President Thabo Mbeki.
In court papers, Mokotedi Mpshe, the acting head of the NPA said: “I have undertaken that if he is to be charged, he will not be arrested and an arrangement will be reached with his attorney for a date on which he has to appear in court.”
In a twist, one of the officers leading the investigation against Selebi too was charged with corruption this week.