/ 2 November 2012

No Mdluli link to Ramogibe’s murder, court rules

Former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
Former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

This was the finding of magistrate Jurg Viviers at the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.

Viviers said the police officer who investigated Ramogibe's death left no stone unturned.

Ramogibe died in February 1999 after marrying the mother of Mdluli's child, Tshidi Buthelezi.

The Ramogibe family accused Mdluli of killing Oupa, but Mdluli claimed there was a plot to implicate him and that the Ramogibe family was working with the police.

Going through the evidence, Viviers said investigating officer Colonel Kobus Roelofse told the court no witnesses had been coerced into giving statements.

Statements made by witnesses in 1999 were revisited during the inquest, and the Hawks obtained fresh statements.

"This inquest is about who killed Oupa Ramogibe," Viviers said. "[There were] allegations that Mr Mdluli wanted Mr Ramogibe out of the way."

He said other allegations, such as kidnapping, assault and intimidation, were irrelevant to the inquest.

A charge of murder against Mdluli, Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi was provisionally withdrawn in February pending the outcome of the inquest.

Also withdrawn were charges of intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. – Sapa