Mugabe‚ Mahlobo on Ramosebudi's alleged hit list‚ court hears

State Security Minister David Mahlobo‚ Free State Premier Ace Magashule and Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane were the first three people Elvis Ramosebudi allegedly wanted to assassinate.

Ramosebudi appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Friday to apply for bail.

It is also alleged that he planned to assassinate Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe.

The alleged assassination plans‚ which also named Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe‚ were in documents police found in Ramosebudi’s home in Soshanguve‚ near Pretoria.

• State to oppose bail for RamosebudiThe state will be opposing bail in the case of the alleged hitman Elvis Ramosebudi on Friday. 

In opposing Ramosebudi’s bail application the state provided some insight into the evidence against him.

The Hawks had arrested Ramosebudi for allegedly plotting a coup‚ but last week the state changed the charges from conspiracy to commit murder to incitement to commit murder.

On Friday‚ prosecutor Johann Badenhorst detailed the state’s case against Ramosebudi by reading out an affidavit by investigating officer Captain MF Sewele.

• Elvis a lone coup fantasistThe National Prosecuting Authority has admitted that it has no evidence that Elvis Ramosebudi tried to plot a coup by assassinating high-profile politicians and cabinet ministers. 

“The first three targets to be neutralised will be David Mahlobo‚ then Ace Magashule then Mosebenzi Zwane‚” according to Sewele’s affidavit.

"These confiscated documents still need to be investigated. These documents included further assassination plots against the president of Zimbabwe ...”

Badenhorst said the state was opposing bail because "there is a likelihood that‚ if released on bail‚ [he] could endanger people.”

• NPA admits it has no evidence that Elvis was plotting a coupThe National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has admitted it does not have evidence that Elvis Ramosebudi tried to plot a coup by killing high profile government ministers. 

He said Ramosebudi had written letters to Anglo American‚ which was sent four times‚ and to businessman Atul Gupta‚ the family of which has close links to President Jacob Zuma.

In his first letter‚ titled "Help Save South Africa"‚ he asked Anglo American for R 60-million to help him assassinate many people. The list included Atul‚ Varun and Rajesh Gupta‚ Zuma‚ SAA board chair Dudu Myeni‚ Minister of Co-operative governance Des van Rooyen‚ ANC Youth League president Collen Maine‚ National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams‚ Economic Freedom Fighters member Fana Hlungwane‚ Military Veterans chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe‚ former Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe and Eskom chairperson Ben Ngubane.

In his second letter‚ titled "Hands of the Guptas"‚ he asked Atul Gupta for money to assassinate former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas‚ both of whom were offered Cabinet positions by the Guptas‚ former public protector Thuli Madonsela‚ and Themba Maseko‚ for whom Zuma had arranged a meeting for him to "help" the Guptas.

Badenhorst told the court that the police were not sure whether Ramosebudi’s letters were a hoax.

Sewele said in his affidavit that a policeman‚ acting undercover‚ pretended to be interested in helping Ramosebudi and met him on April 26. The meeting was secretly recorded and filmed.

Ramosebudi allegedly told the undercover officer he wanted to use food poisoning and a sniper rifle to assassinate people. He allegedly said he knew where the people on his lists lived and what their movements were. The killings were allegedly to be made to look like robberies.

Ramosebudi confirmed to the undercover policeman that he had written the letters‚ Sewele’s affidavit said.

He also allegedly said that if these people were not assassinated‚ there would be a civil war if the ANC loses the elections in 2019. "It is not only about state capture and but about protecting democracy."

According to Sewele’s affidavit‚ Ramosebudi took investigators to his shack where they found documents showing he planned to assassinate Mugabe. "The father of accused was not willing co-operate to explain or answer questions if [his son] had mental illness or symptoms of mental problems‚" Sewele said in his affidavit.

Ramosebudi has offered to pay R1 000 bail.

Through an affidavit read in court by his lawyer‚ Motebang Ramaili‚ Ramosebudi said he has a girlfriend and seven-year-old daughter. He also agreed not to interfere with the case if released on bail.

The case has been postponed to May 8 for judgment in the bail application.