S.African crime intelligence boss bailed for murder

South Africa’s crime intelligence chief was granted bail on murder charges on Thursday over the 1999 killing of a man who married his ex-lover.

Richard Mdluli is charged with three co-accused, two senior police officers and a court orderly, of shooting dead Oupa Abel Ramogibe, who local media report was in a love triangle with the police intelligence boss.

Magistrate Emmanuel Magomba told the court that there was circumstantial evidence linking Mdluli to the crime, Sapa news agency said.

The victim was allegedly told to leave Mdluli’s former partner or be killed. Ramogibe had opened a case of attempted murder before he was shot dead.

Ranked Lieutenant-General, Mdluli spent days on the run before turning himself in last month, in a case that heightened worries about wrong-doing by South Africa’s police.

Mdluli is seen as close to Jackie Selebi, the former police boss convicted of corruption for accepting more than 1.2 million rand ($177,000, 123,000 euros) in bribes from organised crime between 2000 and 2005.

The four accused are charged with the killing and intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Mdluli, who was released on 20,000-rand bail, is also charged with defeating and obstructing the course of justice. His three co-accused were released on 10,000-rand bail.

During his bail application, he claimed that that the charges were part of a witch hunt against him and that he had been cleared of the killing.