VOA标准英语2008年-South African Police Chief Placed on Leave Amid

By Scott Bobb
Jerusalem
12 January 2008

In South Africa, the national head of the police has been put on leave following an announcement by an independent investigating unit that he is to be charged with corruption¹. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg.

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki Saturday placed national Police Chief Jackie Selebi on extended leave amid reports he will be charged soon with corruption.

Mr. Mbeki, who said Selebi agreed to the leave, said the law should take its course.

Selebi also holds the largely ceremonial post of president of the international police body, Interpol, which did not comment other than to say it would discuss the development at a meeting next month.

Selebi's suspension follows the announcement Friday by the head of an independent investigation² unit that he will be charged soon with corruption and impeding³ justice.

At a court hearing requested by Selebi, the prosecutor⁴ announced that charges would be filed. South African legal experts said it was unprecedented⁵ for an individual to request details of a charge that has not yet been formally lodged⁶.

Selebi will reportedly be accused of receiving some $175,000s from a friend who has been convicted of drug smuggling⁷.

The case has escalated⁸ a growing confrontation⁹ between an independent investigative unit (called the Scorpions¹⁰) and the South African Police Service which Selebi heads.

Police earlier this week arrested the head of the unit investigating Selebi and charged him with hindering the investigation of a colleague.

Supporters of the Scorpions and its sister prosecuting¹¹ authority say the units are a major tool in the fight against corruption and moves against them are aimed at restricting their independence.

Critics of the units say they are being used to discredit¹² certain political leaders. The critics say the units should be under the jurisdiction¹³ of the South African police.

The newly elected president of the ruling African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, was charged two weeks ago with corruption following an investigation by the same units. Zuma, the frontrunner to succeed South African President Thabo Mbeki in elections next year, says he is innocent but would step aside if convicted.

At a speech Saturday marking the anniversary of the ANC, Zuma called for unity¹⁴.

"The ANC belongs to all its members equally," he said.  "We want to emphasize that memberships or leadership of the ANC must never be used to marginalize or exclude others."

The ANC, which has dominated South African politics since the end of apartheid 14 years ago, has been divided over the candidacy of Zuma who thwarted¹⁵ Mr. Mbeki's bid for a third term as party president at a congress last month.

1 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 impeding   

a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的

参考例句：

• Fallen rock is impeding the progress of rescue workers. 坠落的石头阻滞了救援人员的救援进程。
• Is there sufficient room for the kiosk and kiosk traffic without impeding other user traffic? 该环境下是否有足够的空间来摆放信息亭？信息亭是否会妨碍交通或者行走？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

4 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

5 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

6 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

8 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

9 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

10 scorpions   

n.蝎子( scorpion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You promise me that Black Scorpions will never come back to Lanzhou. 你保证黑蝎子永远不再踏上兰州的土地。 来自电影对白
• You Scorpions are rather secretive about your likes and dislikes. 天蝎：蝎子是如此的神秘，你的喜好很难被别人洞悉。 来自互联网

11 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

12 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

13 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

14 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

15 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。