Mdluli gave ultimatum for murder of love rival

Independent Newspapers

(File image) Richard Mdluli. Photo: Steve Lawrence

Johannesburg - A day-and-a-half - that’s what suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli allegedly gave the family of his love rival, Oupa Ramogibe, to warn him against pursuing a relationship with Tshidi Buthelezi, Mdluli’s ex-girlfriend.

He allegedly warned Ramogibe’s live-in-lover, Lerato Seballo, that if he got to Ramogibe before she did, he was going to kill him.

That was evidence in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, where an inquest to determine if criminal charges against Mdluli and his alleged accomplices, Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, should be reinstated.

The charges were provisionally withdrawn in February, pending the outcome of the inquest.

Taking the witness stand before magistrate Jurg Viviers on Thursday, Seballo, the mother of Ramogibe’s daughter, told how Mdluli had frequented her house between 1997 and 1998, threatening to kill Ramogibe if he did not stop having an affair with Buthelezi.

“He told me to advise Abel [Ramogibe] to leave his wife, Tshidi, alone or that Abel should pay him R1 200 for the education fees and lobolo which he paid for Tshidi. He [Mdluli] returned to our house again one night and asked if I knew where my boyfriend was. He then said Abel was outside in his car and that he [Mdluli] wanted to kill him,” said Seballo.

She said she had pleaded with Mdluli to go and talk with Ramogibe’s parents about the matter. A meeting was held in Rockville, Soweto, after which Ramogibe agreed to leave Buthelezi alone.

But on September 2, 1998, Mdluli is alleged to have visited, again, the house Seballo shared with Ramogibe. he was armed with a marriage certificate proving that Ramogibe and Buthelezi were married - a union that Ramogibe’s parents denied when Seballo confronted them. A day later, Mdluli is alleged to have issued the ultimatum.

“Abel’s mother and I went to the Vosloorus police station to talk to Superintendent Mdluli. We pleaded with him not to harm Abel and assured him we would talk to Abel,” she said.

Mdluli’s attorney, Ike Motloung, was expected to cross-examine Seballo on Friday.

omphitlhetse.mooki@inl.co.za

The Star