Mdluli tears into witnesses’ evidence

Former crime intelligence boss‚ Richard Mdluli‚ on Thursday dismissed the evidence and testimony of several people who are involved in his criminal case.

He and police officer Mthembeni Mthunzi are accused of intimidating‚ kidnapping and assaulting the friends and family of Mdluli's lover‚ Tshidi Buthelezi‚ whom he had paid lobola for.

Buthelezi had reportedly fled with a new lover‚ taxi driver Oupa Ramogibe‚ who was later murdered.

It later surfaced that Ramogibe and Buthelezi had secretly tied the knot.

Mdluli and Mthunzi face additional charges of defeating the ends of justice.

Facing cross-examination in the South Gauteng High Court‚ Mdluli confidently suggested that his accusers had colluded with the police to fabricate information against him.

"They were tasked to dig for any dirt against me‚" Mdluli said.

One of those people whom Mdluli accuses of lying is Alice Manana‚ a friend of Buthelezi's.

Manana claimed that back in the 90s‚ Mdluli had come to her home with Mthunzi where they assaulted her‚ demanding that she reveal the whereabouts of Buthelezi.

At the time‚ Buthelezi was with Ramogibe in Orange Farm.

She accompanied them to the place where the couple was found.

Mdluli however‚ refuted the evidence and claimed Manana had willingly accompanied him to the lovers’ hideout.

He questioned why the police had to pay Manana numerous visits before she eventually made a statement.

The docket pertaining to Manana's alleged assault case was never found.

"To me‚ there was never a case. If there is‚ where is the case file and why was I not called to account?" he quizzed.

Mdluli likened the police to "lions who were getting ready to get their prey". Van Zyl however said on that night‚ Mdluli and Mthunzi were on a hunt for Buthelezi and Ramogibe.

"I can't hunt my wife. Traditionally‚ I paid lobola for her and her family released her to me. She was staying with me‚" said Mdluli‚ adding that he had forked out around R5‚000 in lobola money.

Mdluli said he had not known about the secret marriage until much later.

He claimed that on the said day‚ he had urged Buthelezi to come home so they could resolve their issues.

Buthelezi got into his vehicle while her lover got into Mthunzi's vehicle and they drove back to the East Rand.

Asked how he felt about Buthelezi and Ramogibe‚ Mdluli said he was hurt.

"Any reasonable man won't be happy about that. I was not happy... I felt shameful and embarrassed‚" he said.

The court heard that Buthelezi had herself laid an assault charge against Mdluli in 1997. She later withdrew the case.

Mdluli said this was nothing but a domestic dispute which officials had later used against him.

"I never assaulted her which is why she withdrew the case... We argued about something as husband and wife‚" he said.

He highlighted that he had 37 years of an unblemished record.

Mdluli had also been implicated in the kidnapping and murder of Ramogibe but was later cleared of the charges.

The matter continues.