In a top state security briefing, President Jacob Zuma was notified last week of the impending arrest of the country’s top police spy, Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli.
The arrest of Mdluli, who is accused of the murder of his former lover’s husband, Oupa Ramogibe, 12 years ago, as well as sabotaging the case for more than a decade, has sent shockwaves through the country’s state security fraternity.
The shockwaves are not only around the arrest, but what the arrest means in terms of information Mdluli has possibly gathered on politicians, government officials, senior police officers, the country’s top businessmen, and those within the intelligence community through illegal covert spying operations.
Mdluli, along with two other policemen, Warrant Officer Nkosana Ximba, 38, and court orderly Samuel Dlomo, 49, appeared on Thursday in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
They face charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, three intimidation charges and a charge relating to defeating the ends of justice. A fourth policeman wanted in connection with the case is on the run.
The charge of defeating the ends of justice, according to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga, relates to the period from when the murder was committed until now.
The charge centres around Mdluli allegedly using his position - first as Vosloorus police station commissioner and then as national crime intelligence head - to sabotage the murder investigation.
Mdluli’s arrest comes less than a week after private security consultant Paul O’Sullivan vowed that he was going all out to ensure that Mdluli and his subordinate, Major-General Joey Mabasa, were put behind bars.
O’Sullivan has accused the pair of allegedly being involved with international Czech fugitive and suspected South African crime kingpin, Radovan Krejcir, who was arrested in connection with a multi-million life insurance fraud scam and is being questioned over crime boss Cyril Beeka’s murder.
A source on Thursday said Mdluli’s arrest was like a “double-edged sword”.
“There is going to be a serious fallout from this.
“The seriousness of the arrest can be seen with the briefing that the president was given by NPA head Menzi Simelane.
“Not only is this a very senior policeman, but he is the head of the country’s powerful crime intelligence unit.
“He is extremely dangerous, has a lot of information at his disposal and carries a lot of power,” he said.
An internal NPA memo dated March 16, which Simelane used to brief Zuma, was leaked to the Pretoria News on Thursday.
The memo, written by State advocates Deon Barnard and Kholeka Gcaleka, state that the events “revolve around General Richard Mdluli”.
“During 1998 Mdluli had a relationship with a woman known as Tsidi, who is now dead.
“Tsidi got involved in a relationship with one Oupa and the couple later got married.
“General Mdluli was not happy about the relationship and threatened to kill Oupa if he did not end the relationship with Tsidi.
“As a result of the threats, Oupa decided to leave his residence and sought refuge at a place unknown to Mdluli.”
The memo revealed how Mdluli allegedly went to Oupa’s home several times and told his mother “in the presence of other family members” that they should find Oupa and warn him to leave Tsidi, or else he was going to search for him on his own and kill him.
“Mdluli conducted his own investigations together with other police officers and managed to find Oupa who was still with Tsidi. Oupa was severely assaulted.”
The advocates state that Oupa survived an attempt on his life when he was shot at while driving a police vehicle he had borrowed from a police friend known as “Killer”.
The document revealed “Killer” was a close friend of Mdluli, who worked under him and “is also still working at crime intelligence under Mdluli”.
The memo revealed that Oupa’s mother, who was approached by a policeman looking for Oupa, persuaded her son to go to the police despite his reluctance to pursue the case.
“On 17 February 1999, Oupa went to the police station and never came back.
“He was shot and killed while pointing out the spots where the first attempt on his life had taken place.
“The cause of death was determined to be ‘bullet wounds to the brain, lung and heart’.”
The memo states how a detective, who was with Oupa when he was killed, said two “armed, unknown males” approached him … pointed a firearm at him, forcefully disarmed him and then shot Oupa before the policeman ran away leaving Oupa behind.
“There is, however, contradictory evidence from a witness who saw three police officers flee the scene at the time the gunshots were fired.
“A senior superintendent was assigned to investigate the case. He could not link the murder to any suspect. The dockets were referred to court for an inquest (but) disappeared.
“Evidence linking the accused to the offences include: the accused repeatedly approaching (Oupa’s) family threatening to kill (him).
“Shortly before (he) was killed, he was taken away from his residence by the SAPS, including Mdluli, to the police station where he was assaulted.”
Mhaga declined to comment on whether Simelane had briefed Zuma.
“I cannot comment on this or what your sources say. I will not speak about any matter not heard before court.
“What I can say is that Mdluli’s arrest does not relate to the Krejcir matter.
“The three suspects are being held at a secure location that cannot be revealed for security reasons.”
Mhaga confirmed a fourth policeman was on the run, but declined to divulge his rank.
“At this stage we are opposing bail, because the fourth suspect is on the run,” he said. - Pretoria News