Motloung testified as such at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday. During his cross-examination of General Godfrey Lebeya – the deputy national commissioner for crime detection – Motloung said there were other senior officials in the police force that wanted the prestige that came with being head of Crime Intelligence. When Mdluli got the job, unhappy forces plotted behind the scenes to unseat Mdluli from his post, said Motloung. On Thursday, Lebeya admitted that there was an internal jostling for certain positions in the year 2010 but he could not elaborate as the information was classified. The internal strife was around about the time when Mdluli’s current post became vacant and the Oupa Ramogibe murder case was resuscitated shortly after Mdluli took over the reins at Crime Intelligence, said Lebeya. When public protector Thuli Madonsela found Cele at fault in her report on the police office-leasing scandal, Cele realised his job was at stake and Mdluli stood a good chance at taking over from him, said Motloung. Ascension Lebeya was then one of the people “effectively used by Cele” to target Mduli and prevent his possible ascension, he said. Although Lebeya denied Motloung’s assertions, he admitted that a special team was put together to investigate Mdluli but he himself was not a part of it. Motloung felt Lebeya was not forthcoming with the truth, saying: “You know more than you are telling us.” Johannes du Plessis, the original investigating officer in the both the murder and attempted murder cases of Ramogibe, took the stand after Lebeya and told the court the original dockets were stolen from the Boksburg Magistrates Court a decade ago. He was then approached by Lebeya and asked to reconstruct the dockets as best as he could and write a statement in November 2010. Four months later, the same month that Mdluli was arrested and charged with Ramogibe’s murder, du Plessis was asked to update his 2010 statement by Major General Shadrack Sibiya, head of the Hawks in Gauteng. Sibiya told du Plessis that his updated statement should make it clear that there was a “strong suspicion” that Mdluli had arranged the attacks on Ramogibes life. Said defense lawyer Paul Leisher: “You were fed this information and given strict instruction on what to say.” Du Plessis admitted the latter. The inquest into the death of Ramogibe continues on Tuesday and its finding will determine whether charges will be brought against Mdluli and his alleged accomplices Colonel Nkosana Ximba, Warrant Officer Samuel Dlomo and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mtunzi. This story was first published by the Mail & Guardian Online on September 22 2012. * Got a tip-off for us about this story? Email [email protected] 
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