COPE Reports Arthur Fraser To The Police For Alleged Corruption

The Congress of the People (COPE) on Monday said it has reported former director general of State Security Agency (SSA), Arthur Fraser, to the police in Pretoria for alleged crimes – including graft.

Dennis Bloem, COPE national spokesperson, said the party’s action was prompted by allegations contained in the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture (Zondo Commission).

He said the allegations were “very serious” and COPE can not wait for four months – the period President Cyril Ramaphosa will need to make his recommendatios to Parliament.

Speaking to reporters outside the Broklyn Police Station in Pretoria, Bloem said COPE wants to “assist the National Prosecuting Authority” to speedily deal with the allegations against Fraser.

“We have already laid charges of corruption against Fraser,” said Bloem.

At the weekend, when Bloem announced the intention to report Fraser to the police he said: “The abuse of taxpayers money on a private intelligence unit called Principal Agents Network (PAN) is very scary and needs immediate action from the criminal justice system.

“An investigation revealed that equipment of this unit like vehicles are still around Gauteng Province and a number of houses are registered in the names of individuals.

“We believe that poses a great danger to the security and stability of the country.”

Bloem said one of the recommendations of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on SSA was that the Hawks must reopen the investigation on Fraser, “an investigation that was allegedly halted by former Minister of SSA Siyabonga Cwele after an instruction from former President Jacob Zuma”.

Bloem added: “This action is the first of a series of rolling actions on the implementation of the Zondo Commission’s recommendations.

“We will continuously approach the police to lay criminal charges against different people whom the Commission recommends that the Hawks must investigate and charge.

“We believe that the country cannot wait on President Ramaphosa for another four months before we act on the Zondo Commission’s Report.

“It is our duty and responsibility to assist the National Prosecution Authority and the Hawks by laying criminal charges against those who must face the full might of the law.

“We hope that the Hawks will treat this case as a priority case and arrest and charge Mr. Arthur Fraser.”

A few weeks ago, Fraser released a statement saying he had opened a case at the Rosebank Police Station against President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he accused of defeating the ends of justice, kidnapping burglary suspects and interrogating them on his Phala Phala Farm.

Fraser alleges that the thieves stole more than US$4 million in the 2020 burglary. He accuses the President of covering up the incident by bribing the suspects.