Everyone from the South African Police Service top brass to the National Prosecuting Authority tried to shield former spy boss Richard Mdluli from prosecution. For the third day, senior Hawks investigator Kobus Roelofse told the state capture inquiry his investigations into Mdluli were stalled and obstructed from the start.
Roelofse, who often interacted with prosecutors during his time in the now-disbanded Scorpions, says he couldn’t believe the NPA’s decision to drop Mdluli’s case. When the decision was taken and the reasons advanced for that decision did not make sense,” Roelofse said.
According to Roelofse, when Mdluli’s suspension was lifted at the end of March 2012, the first thing he did was to identify and target those he suspected of assisting the Hawks in their investigation against him.
“General Mdluli set in motion a drive to identify those Criminal Intelligence members who had assisted me in the investigation,” Roelofse said.
“The result thereof is that more than 20 members of Crime Intelligence were transferred within days after his reappointmentTo finalise numerous investigations, Roelofse needed documents declassified. He said then-Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega and the current police chief, Khehla Sitole, have offered no help.
Even acting Crime Intelligence head Chis Ngcobo told him he’s under pressure to stonewall them. He also referred to senior management,” Roelofse said. His own management that does not want to assist him, or want to allow him to assist us. A former Crime Intelligence official, now under witness protection, is expected on the stand on Friday.
In other news – Richard Mdluli and Mthembeni Mthunzi’s sentencing postponed to November
Former Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli will have to wait another month to find out if he will spend time in jail for kidnapping and assault. Mdluli and his co-accused, Mthembeni Mthunzi, appeared briefly in the South Gauteng High Court on Thursday for sentencing.
Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng postponed the matter to November 7 and 8 for the state to finalise correctional supervision and pre-sentencing reports. On July 30, Mdluli and Mthunzi were found guilty of the 1999 kidnapping and assault of Oupa Ramogibe. Ramogibe was married to Mdluli’s former lover, Tshidi Buthelezi. Read more
Source: eNCA
