Mdluli has been suspended
2012-05-27 09:49
Johannesburg - Controversial former crime intelligence boss
lieutenant general Richard Mdluli has been suspended from the police,
the office of acting national police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi
said on Sunday.
"The notice of suspension of General Mdluli has
been served on General Mdluli's lawyer," said Mkhwanazi's spokesperson
Lindela Mashigo.
Mashigo said the suspension related to
allegations that had emerged from the ongoing court inquest into the
murder of Mdluli's former lover's husband Oupa Ramogibe in 1999.
Last
year, Mdluli faced fraud and corruption charges relating to alleged
misuse of a crime intelligence fund, the purchase of luxury vehicles and
the hiring of family members.
He was suspended but both sets of
charges were withdrawn and Mdluli was reinstated as head of crime
intelligence in March this year.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa
then announced on 9 May that Mdluli would be moved from crime
intelligence to a position in the office of the deputy national police
commissioner for operations, Fannie Masemola.
A few days later
non-profit organisation Freedom Under Law (FUL) applied for a urgent
interdict to prevent Mdluli from serving in the police service.
FUL
also applied for an interdict against Mthethwa, preventing him from
moving Mdluli to a new position before a review into his reinstatement
could be heard.
On Sunday Mashigo said the national commissioner
took the step of suspending in response to the serious allegations that
had emerged from the inquest.
"He is not responding to any
pressure. He had already served the notices of intention to suspend on
General Mdluli and General Solly Lazarus when a day or two later Freedom
Under Law approached the court," he said.
Major-General Solly Lazarus was head of finance for the Crime Intelligence Unit.
Mashigo said Mdluli was given seven days to give reasons why he should not be suspended but failed to respond to the notice.
"From Gerneral Mdluli we received nothing," he said.
Mashigo said the police did not want to comment on the allegations made durning the inquest as the process was ongoing.
- SAPA
