Johannesburg — THE keenly awaited corruption trial of former police commissioner Jackie Selebi started yesterday with Selebi claiming that former national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka and his successor Vusi Pikoli manipulated his case in a bid to discredit him.

Selebi has promised more "bombshells" in his 40-day trial.

In the explanation of his not-guilty plea in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, Selebi said he got information in late 2005 that Ngcuka had approached former Hyundai boss Billy Rautenbach's attorney, a Mr Ramsay, and suggested a solution to Rautenbach's pending criminal case if Rautenbach co-operated with him.

"The information was that Ngcuka tried to extort a bribe from Ramsay, and that he was more interested in information regarding mining rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe than in the offences that Rautenbach allegedly committed."

Selebi also said Pikoli obtained a "material gratification" from slain mining magnate Brett Kebble and the JCI group in an improper way via his wife, Nozuko Majola-Pikoli.

Selebi is charged with three counts of corruption and defeating the administration of justice. The charges relate to payments he allegedly received from Rautenbach, Kebble and his associate Glenn Agliotti, who has been charged with Kebble's murder.

Selebi said the prosecution against him was instituted with an ulterior motive because he supported the dissolution of the Scorpions, which was under the control of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Pikoli, who claims former president Thabo Mbeki suspended him in September 2007 to protect Selebi from arrest, told Business Day yesterday he denied the allegations.

Ngcuka also said he rejected all the allegations with contempt.

Selebi said when he confronted Pikoli about the allegation, Pikoli became very emotional, and said his wife was his "Achilles heel". He alleged Pikoli did not deny his wife received "gratification".

Selebi said the NPA also approached people with a history of criminal activities, offering them indemnity in exchange for false statements implicating him.

Pikoli said he and his wife never received "gratification" from the late Brett Kebble-JCI Group.

He said Selebi's allegations were an attempt to deflect attention from the serious charges he faced and a ruse to create the impression that he was a victim.