Officer tells court he lost two dockets which implicated Mdluli

A police officer who briefly investigated the kidnapping of Oupa Ramogibe, former intelligence boss Richard Mdluli’s love rival on Monday, told the South Gauteng High Court that he had two original dockets which implicated Mdluli in the crime but lost them during the inquest.

Mdluli is standing trial with his co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi on charges relating to the 1999 kidnapping of the late Ramogibe who has an affair with Mdluli’s lover, Tshidi Buthelezi.

Mdluli and Mthunzi are on trial for allegedly intimidating, kidnapping and assaulting Ramogibe. They have pleaded not guilty.

Colonel Johannes Du Plessis told the court on Monday, that he briefly investigated the attempted murder and murder case of Ramogibe which occurred in 1999. He said he dropped the investigation when he realised people were reluctant to give him information.

Du Plessis who was neatly dressed in a black suit and white shirt, was subpoenaed by the court to give clarity about his involvement in the case.

He read out two affidavits which he had written explaining his role in the Mdluli matter.

In his statement, he indicated that in 2010 he was given two dockets for the attempted murder and murder of Ramogibe.

In the dockets there were statements from witnesses who had said they suspected Mdluli and his friend Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba as the ones behind Ramogibe’s misfortunes.

He said the statements did not contain Ximba’s real name and he tried to find the person behind the pseudo identity but not one was willing to talk.

“I had no support, people kept distancing themselves and said they didn’t know who was this Killer.”

Ike Motloung, for Mdluli, disputed the existence of the dockets which Du Plessis claimed to have had which got lost in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court during the inquest.

Du Plessis told the court that the dockets which were accompanied by statements, were in his possession until the court informed him that the copies he had sent before were lost and they need other copies.

He said he was not thinking and took in the originals without making duplicates and left them with a court clerk.

Motloung asked him why her never made copies for backup in case something happens to the originals.

Du Plessis failed to give a clear answer for not doing a through job in securing the dockets. At one point he claimed he could not find a place to make photocopies.

“Are you seriously suggesting to this court that you could not find any police station and make copies… Why didn’t you make copies in court, why didn’t you ask the court clark, ” Motloung enquired.

Responding, Du Plessis said: “She was a difficult person.”

Du Plessis gave a weird explanation for concluding that the court clerk was difficult.

“The lady swore at me for no reason after I gave her the docket.”

Motloung quizzed Du Plessis for not following up on the dockets.

“It was difficult because I didn’t have any assistance,” he replied.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Christo de Goede testified last year that he found two dockets locked in a safe in 1999 after taking over as acting commander of the Vosloorus police station when Mdluli was transferred to George.

Mdluli was arrested with Samuel Dlomo, Ximba and Mthunzi in 2011. Charges were dropped against Dlomo and Ximba after court decided there was insufficient evidence against them.

The matter was postponed to Wednesday.

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