Mdluli and co-accused found guilty of assault, intimidation, kidnapping

The High Court in Johannesburg has found former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and his co-accused, Mthembeni Mthunzi, guilty of assault, intimidation, and kidnapping.

The judgment relates to a 1999 kidnapping case, with the pair charged with the kidnapping of Oupa Ramogibe in 1999.

A bid for Mdluli to be granted a permanent stay of prosecution was dismissed.

Reading of the lengthy judgment began on Monday at the High Court in Johannesburg.

Mdluli, who was smartly dressed in a blue suit, was jointly charged with Mthembeni Mthunzi for the crimes allegedly committed as far back as 1999.

Understandably, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng spent the whole day going through numerous witness testimonies.

Both accused face allegations that some two decades ago they intimidated, assaulted, and kidnapped Mdluli’s love rival, Oupa Ramogibe. The pair also allegedly assaulted Alice Manana, a friend of Tshidi Buthelezi, who was Mdluli’s customary wife.

Ramogibe and Buthelezi secretly married in July, 1998. A year later, Ramogibe was shot dead.

However, charges of murder against Mdluli and Mthunzi were withdrawn.

The remaining cases against the accused have dragged on for years. During that time, Buthelezi succumbed to an illness. She died in 2003.

On Monday, Mdluli remained fixated on the judge as he read witness testimonies. The former intelligence boss has also been accused of sabotaging investigations into the crimes.

Both accused, Mdluli and Mthunzi, have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Judge Mokgoatlheng, who delivered Tuesday’s judgment, is a former Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs striker.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.