Fear grips top cops after Mdluli's 'return'

Fear has gripped the officers who investigated embattled police spy boss Richard Mdluli following news that his suspension has been lifted.

Crime intelligence officers who spoke to The Times on condition of anonymity said they feared that, with Mdluli back in office, he would target those who investigated him for fraud and murder charges.

Mdluli's reinstatement comes a month after the National Prosecuting Authority served suspension papers on top anti-corruption prosecutor advocate Glynnis Breytenbach for her alleged "abuse of power". Many believed she was being punished for refusing to drop fraud charges against Mdluli.

Police spokesman B rigadier Lindela Mashigo confirmed on Wednesday night that Mdluli's suspension had been lifted, and said the development is an internal matter and that the police will not comment on it publicly.

While there is still a veil of secrecy on the reasons for lifting Mdluli's suspension and when he will report for duty, an official from the Hawks said yesterday that the unit still did not understand how the Johannesburg deputy director of Public Prosecutions advocate Andrew Chauke arrived at a decision to withdraw the murder charge.

"We have done a thorough investigation. Our hands are now chopped off. This is all political."

The Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria provisionally withdrew charges against Mdluli in December of allegedly defrauding the police and a Pretoria car dealership of more than R90000, and for causing it to lose a further R1.28-million.

The Hawks official said senior officers had been assigned to investigate both the fraud and the murder cases and that the withdrawal of charges and the lifting of the suspension have left a bitter taste in their mouths.

Another Hawks official said it had fought for the case to remain on the court roll, but the withdrawal of both the murder and fraud charges was beyond its control. Both officials said their investigations were not politically motivated.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said last night that the withdrawal of both charges were provisional and not clear cut.

He said an inquiry into the murder charges would determine whether the prosecuting authority would proceed or not.

Mhaga confirmed that the authority recently received a letter from the inspector general, advocate Faith Radebe.

"She expressed reservations about our decision. We are considering everything and will then re-evaluate our decision."

While officials were still trying to come to terms with the news of Mdluli's return, there have been talks in police corridors that he has been earmarked to take over as national police commissioner from Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who has been acting since the suspension of Bheki Cele.

Officers said if Mdluli gets the position , it would be difficult for them to trust and respect him.

They believe it would have been better if he had been tried in court and found not guilty instead of the charges being summarily withdrawn.

In response to Mdluli's possible reinstatement, the DA's Diane Kohler Barnard said: "The DA holds this as an absolute disgrace given the controversy surrounding Mdluli, including allegations of fraud and murder.

"The DA maintains that the prosecution of Mdluli was improperly dropped amid allegations of political interference."

Kohler Barnard wants the decision to drop the charges to be reviewed, particularly in the light of increasing speculation that Mdluli would replace Cele, and his rumoured ties with President Jacob Zuma.

But police ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi said: "We urge Kohler Barnard to join a community policing forum and direct her energies towards fighting crime instead of scoring political points.

"We do not account to the DA, we account to millions of law-abiding citizens. And when we communicate we do not only target affluent media, which she understands or listens to.

"Today we are in Khayelitsha talking to communities, not politicking on crime. We do not conform our engagements to Twitter and online media, we are in touch, speaking the language of the people. So she must relax. The suspension and or lifting of suspensions is a departmental function that is managed by management led by the acting national police commissioner. It's the same management that has reduced crime over the last year."