Ex-crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli gets five years in jail

Former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the High Court in Johannesburg.

Mdluli and and his accomplice Mthembeni Mthunzi were convicted in July last year on two counts of kidnapping, two counts of common assault, and two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in connection with the 1999 kidnapping and assault of Oupa Ramogibe.

Mdluli had a long-term relationship with Tshidi Buthelezi dating back to his school days. During her relationship with him, she met Ramogibe and they began a relationship. They eventually got married on 22 July 1998.

Between 1997 and 1999, Mdluli allegedly went to extreme lengths to track down Buthelezi and Ramogibe, by trying to get Alice Manana to show him where the couple had relocated.

The two men eventually found Ramogibe on Orange Farm in 1999, where he was assaulted and taken to Vosloorus Police Station.

Ramogibe was later shot dead. No one was ever prosecuted for his death.

Mdluli and Mthunzi were both acquitted on the intimidation of Manana, and defeating the ends of justice.

Both Buthelezi and Ramogibe have since died. Buthelezi died from an illness while Ramogibe was gunned down in 1999.

Mthunzi’s lawyer, Sabelo Nobangule, previously asked Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng for a non-custodial sentence for his client.

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Nobangule said it appeared that from the facts before Mokgoatlheng, Mthunzi got involved in the matter when he was asked by Mdluli to assist him with a marital issue.

“There was no material gain to accrue for Mthunzi. He is a first-time offender but has previous convictions that are more than 30 years old and have expired,” Nobangule said.

“I am not sure why those [30-year-old] records still show on the SAPS record. He must be considered as a first-time offender.

“On this matter, there is an absence of the prescribed minimum sentence and retribution must take precedence over other means of punishment.”

He asked the court to also consider that the assault and kidnapping was committed 22 years ago.

It is understood that the pair were sentenced to three years each on three counts of kidnapping, one year for assault and two years each for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The pair are expected to appeal the case, according to insiders.

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