Death threats ‘make Mdluli a suspect’

VUYO MKIZE

[email protected]

FOR Ntsekiseng Ramogibe-Mbuyisa, the several threats suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli made on her brother’s life were enough to suspect he was behind his killing.

She was testifying in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday in the inquest into her brother Oupa Ramogibe’s murder in February 1999. Oupa had been having an affair with Mdluli’s former lover Tshidi Buthelezi. At the time he was also involved in a relationship with another woman, only known as Lerato.

After finding out about the affair and that the pair had run away together, Mdluli had allegedly warned Oupa’s mother to find him or she and her family would “mourn him”. Mdluli, then a superintendent at Vosloorus police station, tracked Oupa and Buthelezi down in Orange Farm.

Last week the court heard from Oupa’s mother Sophia that a few days after Oupa returned home, he was called in by police in connection with a shooting. He was shot dead while pointing out a scene. Criminal charges against Mdluli and his alleged accomplices – Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi – were provisionally withdrawn in February, pending the outcome of the inquest.

The charges against them were intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Yesterday, Ramogibe-Mbuyisa told the court at the time she made her statement shortly after her brother’s murder, she felt she had evidence which would prove Mdluli had threatened her brother. Mdluli’s counsel, Ike Motloung asked her: “What was the main purpose of you making a statement to police? You weren’t there when he was shot.”

She answered: “My intention was to see to it that my brother’s killers were exposed and detained. At that time, I felt I had evidence which would prove Mr Mdluli came to my house looking for my brother and threatened to kill him, that gave me suspicion,” she continued.

However, it emerged in court that her first statement made in February 1999 made no mention of the alleged threats and only her second statement made in December 2010 when the Hawks reopened the investigation into Oupa’s death mentioned the alleged threats.

She told the court her mother had called her several times about Mdluli’s visits at their home, and asked her to advise her brother to stop his relationship with Buthelezi.

“I put it to you that nowhere in G1 (first statement) do you say Mdluli came to your house to make threats to kill your brother,” Motloung charged.

She responded: “I don’t know why it’s not in the statement because I remember saying it (to police).”

Ramogibe-Mbuyisa said there must have been reason for “someone to omit” parts in her original statement. Motloung accused her of getting “clever” and adding parts to her statement.

Ramogibe-Mbuyisa said her mother call her several times concerning Mdluli and his threats.