A warrant of arrest has been issued for the head of police crime intelligence General Richard Mdluli, police said on Wednesday.
“Yes there is a warrant and the police are acting on it,” Colonel Vish Naidoo said. “I can’t confirm what it is for.”
The Mail & Guardian reported last week that the Hawks were probing Mdluli and Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa over allegations that they interfered with the Hawks’ investigation into Czech fraud accused Radovan Krejcir.
The newspaper reported that a source close to the Hawks, an intelligence source and a prosecuting authority official had all confirmed that the investigation centred on Mabasa and Mdluli.
“The probe is understood to focus on allegations that crime intelligence engaged in extensive phone-tapping of Hawks members and others involved in the Krejcir investigation,” the Mail & Guardian wrote.
It is alleged that in at least one case, intercepted conversations found their way to targets of the Hawks’ investigation, which includes not only Krejcir but a number of his associates.
Mabasa has previously been accused of holding meetings with Krejcir at Sandton’s Michelangelo hotel, something the two men have denied.
Mabasa’s wife and Krejcir’s wife are also reported to have set up a company together.
Separated from his wife
Mabasa claimed he had been separated from his wife for the past 15 years, despite credit records showing that they had given the same home addresses for the past four years.
Mabasa alleged that, in a telephone call to him, former Krejcir employee George Smith confessed to murdering strip club boss Lolly Jackson.
The City Press newspaper reported earlier in March that tensions between national police commissioner General Bheki Cele and Mdluli was “sky high” after two police “spies” raided the public protector’s office.
Cele was reported to be livid when he found out about the “unannounced visit” to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s Pretoria office.
Police management suspended the two counter-intelligence officers.
“An inside source told City Press that tension between Cele and Mdluli had been simmering for a while, with Mdluli being seen by Cele and his supporters as the last senior official left in the police from the Jackie Selebi era,” the newspaper reported.
Mdluli was promoted from deputy head of Gauteng police to head of national crime intelligence on July 1 2009 by acting police chief Tim Williams. — Sapa