Mdluli faces fraud, corruption charges
2011-09-22 12:17
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Johannesburg - Suspended Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli handed himself over to authorities and appeared in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria, the Hawks said on Thursday.
"He appeared on fraud and corruption charges... yesterday [Wednesday]," spokesperson McIntosh Polela told Sapa.
"The charges relate to the purchase of two vehicles for the Crime Intelligence Unit."
Mdluli was released on a warning and his case postponed to December 14.
Polela could not provide further details of the case.
Salaries, houses for girlfriends
The Star reported that Mdluli allegedly used money from the unit's witness protection fund to pay salaries and buy houses and cars for girlfriends and their relatives as well as his own relatives, who had been registered as covert intelligence operatives.
In one case, investigators found that a Cape Town woman, who they reportedly confirmed as his girlfriend, was registered as an intelligence operative and paid at least R18 000 a month. The girlfriend's cousin and brother were also allegedly employed by crime intelligence and earned R8 000 a month, the newspaper reported.
In March, Mdluli appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court in connection with a 1999 love triangle murder and was released on R20 000 bail.
He and three others were implicated in killing his ex-lover's husband and at the time, Mdluli was the station commissioner at the Vosloorus police station.
They are charged with intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Conspiracy against him
Mdluli, a lieutenant general ranked one below police commissioner General Bheki Cele, faces an additional charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.
In his bail application, he argued the charges against him were fabricated as a result of a conspiracy against him by two senior police officials who tried to derail his promotion.
Mdluli said people were trying to get rid of him because former president Thabo Mbeki's camp was trying to take over police intelligence ahead of the 2012 ANC elective conference.
Mdluli and his co-accused are due back in court next Friday.
His lawyer Ike Motloung refused to comment.
- SAPA
