High court to hear FUL's Mdluli application

2012-06-05 08:23

Johannesburg - The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria will hear an application by the non-profit organisation Freedom Under Law (FUL) on Tuesday for an urgent interdict preventing Lieutenant General Richard Mdluli from serving on the police force.

FUL has also applied for an interdict preventing Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa from moving Mdluli to a new position before a review of his reinstatement.

Anti-apartheid activist and FUL member Mamphela Ramphele said in an affidavit in May, that former police commissioners Jackie Selebi and Bheki Cele were suspended by Mthethwa for "less serious criminal charges" than Mdluli.

She said a letter Mdluli wrote to President Jacob Zuma, Mthethwa and acting national police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in November, claiming there was a conspiracy against him, had generated distrust and instability in the police.

Last year, Mdluli faced fraud and corruption charges relating to the misuse of a secret crime intelligence fund to buy luxury vehicles, and to hire family members.

He also faced a murder charge for the death of his former lover's husband, Oupa Ramogibe. The charges led to his initial suspension.

This year, all the charges were withdrawn and Mdluli was reinstated, a move which was criticised by, among others, the Democratic Alliance and FUL.

Mthethwa later moved him to a different division, but Mkhwanazi then decided to suspend him again.

The suspension was lifted by the Johannesburg Labour Court on Friday, but on Monday the court decided to rescind the lifting of the suspension.

- SAPA