The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was on Wednesday granted access to record for news purposes the finding of the bail hearing of crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and his co-accused in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court.
Reporters from SABC television and SABC radio were setting up equipment in court ahead of the hearing.
The court order allows the broadcaster to record magistrate Emmanuel Magomba handing down his finding, but not to film the faces of the accused for security purposes.
Eyewitness News and Jacaranda FM were not allowed to set up their equipment and record as Magomba said the application was brought only by the SABC.
Conspiracy
Mdluli and his co-accused — Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba (38), Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi (52) and court orderly Samuel Dlomo (49) — are charged with the shooting murder of Oupa Abel Ramogibe in 1999.
They are also charged with intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Mdluli faces an additional charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.
Ramogibe, who married Mdluli’s ex-lover, was allegedly told to leave her or he would be killed. He had opened an attempted murder case before his death.
At the time, Mdluli was the station commissioner at the Vosloorus police station in Boksburg, on the East Rand.
During his bail application, Mdluli claimed that he had already been cleared of the murder, and that the recent charges were part of a conspiracy against him. — Sapa