Mdluli, ex-cop back in dock on murder,
kidnapping charges
2017-02-06
07:08
Tammy Petersen, News24
Richard Mdluli
Johannesburg - Ex-Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and
former policeman Mthembeni Mthunzi are expected to appear in the High Court in
Johannesburg on Monday on charges relating to the 1999 kidnapping and murder of
Oupa Ramogibe‚ who was married to Mdluli’s former lover Tshidi Buthelezi.
Mdluli and Mthunzi allegedly intimidated, kidnapped and assaulted
Ramogibe. They have pleaded not guilty.
News24 previously reported the charges against them stem from the
alleged extreme lengths that Mdluli went to between 1997 and 1999 to find out
where Buthelezi and Ramogibe were hiding.
At his last court appearance, Mdluli claimed that a project was
put together to falsely prosecute him.
He testified during cross examination there were senior people who
were part of a project, Ulibambe Lingashoni, set up to advance their agenda
against him.
Mdluli claims that the operation was intended to "falsely
incriminate him and pull him down".
He also said witnesses were found and put in witness protection
"in order to coach them to falsely prosecute me".
'Secret marriage'
Mdluli said he paid lobola for Buthelezi and regarded her as his
wife, but later heard that Buthelezi and Ramogibe had had a "secret
marriage".
Mdluli had a long-term relationship with Buthelezi from his school
days, but during her relationship with the former crime intelligence boss she
met Ramogibe and they began a relationship. They married on July 22, 1998.
Ramogibe allegedly received death threats after marrying Buthelezi
and was told to leave her or he would be killed. He opened an attempted murder
case before his death.
Ramogibe was shot and killed and no one had been convicted of his
murder. Charges of murder against Mdluli and his co-accused were
withdrawn
At the time, Mdluli was the station commander at the Vosloorus
police station in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, and was accused of sabotaging
the investigation.
