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Mr Selebi has been under investigation since last year and denies wrongdoing.

It is not clear when the indictment will be served.

The BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says the police commissioner is a controversial figure.

For the past year, the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance, has been calling for him to resign or be suspended because of his alleged links to criminal activity.

President Thabo Mbeki, who is said to be close to Mr Selebi, has consistently resisted calls for his police commissioner to be fired, saying he would not take any action until evidence of any wrongdoing was brought before him.

Earlier this week, one of the officials leading the Selebi investigation was himself charged with corruption.

Warrants

The NPA said the indictment against Mr Selebi would be served on him depending on the outcome of the court application being heard on Friday, South Africa Press Association reports.

"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," NPA acting head Mokotedi Mpshe said in court papers.

Our correspondent says last September, the NPA obtained two warrants: one for Mr Selebi's arrest and the other a search warrant.

But these were not acted upon, until the case was reviewed.

The anti-crime unit known as the Scorpions has been investigating Mr Selebi.

Correspondents say the charging of Gerrie Nel, who was leading the probe, was a further twist in rivalry between the Scorpions and the police.

The Scorpions consists primarily of investigators who work hand-in-hand with prosecutors in the NPA.

The NPA recently charged Jacob Zuma, the new leader of the ruling African National Congress and the party's presidential candidate, with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

Mr Zuma's supporters reportedly want the Scorpions to be dissolved and brought under the control of the police, saying the case against him was political.

(BBC)

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