Johannesburg — CLINTON Nassif, former security chief of slain mining magnate Brett Kebble, may reach a plea bargain with the state today and testify in the drug trial of Kebble murder accused Glenn Agliotti and three others.

The state told the Germiston Magistrate's Court yesterday that it wanted to add Nassif as the fifth accused in the trial relating to drugs worth R250m intercepted by the Scorpions in Alberton last year. The other accused are Agliotti, Dimitrio Paparas, Stephanos Paparas and Stanley Poonin.

Prosecutor Gerhard Nel told the court yesterday there were negotiations with Nassif, and asked for a postponement until today. Outside the court, Nel did not elaborate but said all would become clearer today.

"As part of an ongoing investigation, we have established new facts pertaining to this particular case and we want to add a further accused, Clinton Nassif, as accused number five. There are negotiations between Nassif and the state and we request that the case be postponed until tomorrow," Nel told the court.

When Agliotti was arrested for the murder of Kebble last year, there were rumours that Nassif had given the Scorpions information that led to Agliotti's arrest. It now seems he will conclude a deal with the state and testify against the four.

Police commissioner Jackie Selebi denied last year that he had received R50000 from Nassif. In a dossier that was part of a Scorpions investigation it was claimed that a witness who was asked to deliver an envelope containing R50000 to Nassif at a Sandton cafe found him sitting with Selebi. The witness claimed Nassif later bragged about having paid a senior policeman and of having him in his pocket.

Selebi admitted meeting Nassif once, a few days after a kidnapped child -- whose father was to testify in a drug trial in Cape Town -- was found.

In July last year, the Scorpions arrested five people, including Dimitrio Paparas and Poonin, suspected of belonging to an international drug syndicate. They also seized 762kg of hashish and more than a ton of compressed dagga with a street value of R250m. The five were arrested after an undercover operation led investigators to a self-storage facility in Alberton. They seized the drugs, believed to be destined for overseas. Stephanos Paparas later handed himself in to police.

Agliotti was added in January this year.

He is the man allegedly known as "the Landlord" in criminal circles. His relationship with Selebi came under the spotlight with reports that the Scorpions had him under surveillance after they were handed a secret dossier listing Selebi's alleged links to crimes committed by Agliotti. He also telephoned Selebi from the Kebble murder scene in September 2005.

The hearing was postponed until March 4 next year for trial.

Bail conditions for three of the accused were relaxed.

Agliotti rem-ains under house arrest.