Richard Mdluli
{{Short description|South African police officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
Lieutenant General Richard Naggie Mdluli (born May 1958) was the head of Police Crime Intelligence in South Africa from 2009 to 2012. He was replaced by Chris Ngcobo.
He was dismissed from the South African Police Service on 17 January 2018. On 30 July 2019, Mdluli was found guilty of kidnapping and assaulting his former lover's husband. He received a five-year prison sentence, which he started serving on 29 September 2020.
Career
Richard Mdluli joined the South African Police (SAP) in August 1979 as a Constable in Pietermaritzburg. Mdluli was promoted to the Officer Cadre in 1991 as part of the reforms and served as Station Commander at the Vosloorus police station and as the Deputy Police Commissioner of Gauteng.{{cite web | url=http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/richard-mdluli | title=Whoswho South Africa}} In 2007, then Deputy Commissioner Mdluli headed the investigation of fraud and corruption charges against advocate Gerrie Nel, then head of the elite Scorpions investigative unit in Gauteng.{{cite news|last=Staff reporter|title=Scorpions boss in fraud probe|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2007-11-02-scorpions-boss-in-fraud-probe|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=2 November 2007}} Nel was arrested in Pretoria on 8 January 2008 and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court the following day, where the chief prosecutor refused to charge him, due to insufficient evidence.{{cite news|last=Staff reporter|title=Armed policemen arrest Scorpions boss|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2008-01-09-armed-policemen-arrest-scorpions-boss|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=9 January 2008}}{{cite book|last=Basson|first=Adriaan|title=Zuma Exposed|year=2012|publisher=Jonathan Ball Publishers|location=Jeppestown|isbn=9781868425389}}
Mdluli was appointed as Divisional Commission of Police's Crime Intelligence Division effective from 1 July 2009, after an interview with four of Jacob Zuma's cabinet. The panel was led by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and included State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, the then home affairs deputy minister Malusi Gigaba and former safety and security deputy minister Susan Shabangu.{{cite news|last=Rademeyer|first=Julian|title=I did not appoint Mdluli|url=http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/I-did-not-appoint-Mdluli-20110402|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=City Press|date=3 April 2011}}
Criminal charges
In March 2011, a warrant was issued for Mdluli's arrest, in connection with the murder of Oupa Ramogibe, who was shot dead on 17 February 1999. On 31 March, Mdluli handed himself over to the Boksburg Magistrate's Court, where he and three others were 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. Mdluli faced an additional charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.{{cite news|last=Staff reporter|title=Mdluli hands himself to authorities|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2011-03-31-mdluli-hands-himself-to-authorities|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=31 March 2011}}{{cite web | url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Mdluli-in-court-on-murder-charge-20110331 | title=Mdluli in court on murder charge|publisher = News24| date=31 March 2011}}
On 21 September 2011, Mdluli faced further charges of fraud and corruption in the Commercial Crimes Court in Pretoria.{{cite news|last=Staff reporter|title=Mdluli hands himself over to Hawks|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2011-09-22-mdluli-hands-himself-over-to-hawks|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian}} He was alleged to have employed his friends and family as intelligence operatives, and misused police funding to purchase luxury cars.{{cite news|url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2011/09/23/richard-mdluli-bust-for-fraud|title=Richard Mdluli bust for fraud|last=Prince|first=Chandre|date=23 September 2011|publisher=Times Live|accessdate=9 October 2011}}{{cite news|last=Amabungane reporters|title=Mdluli report's shocking revelations|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-30-the-mdluli-report|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=30 March 2012}}
The fraud and corruption charges against Mdluli were dropped on 14 December 2011.{{cite news|last=Staff reporters|title=Charges against crime intelligence boss Mdluli dropped|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-14-charges-dropped-against-suspended-crime-intel-boss-mdluli|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=14 December 2011}} The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) provisionally withdrew murder charges against Mdluli on 10 April 2012, in order to complete an inquest of the case.{{cite news|title=No trial for murder accused Mdluli|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-03-no-trial-for-murder-accused-mdluli|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=3 February 2012}} Mdluli's suspension from the SAPS was lifted on Tuesday, 27 March.{{cite news|last=Staff reporter|title=It's back to work for crime intelligence boss Mdluli|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-29-its-back-to-work-for-crime-intelligence-boss-mdluli|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=29 March 2012}}
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa 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. On 27 May a spokesperson for acting national police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, announced that Mdluli had been suspended based on allegations that have come to light during the inquest.{{cite news|last=SAPA|title=Mkhwanazi suspends Mdluli|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2012-05-27-mkhwanazi-suspends-mdluli|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=27 May 2012}}
After several delays, the inquest hearing was postponed until September 2012.[http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/mdluli-inquiry-postponed-1.1286164 "Mdluli inquiry postponed"]. IOL News. 30 April 2012. On 2 November, magistrate Jurg Viviers, ruled there was no evidence implicating Mdluli in the murder of Oupa Ramogibe.{{cite news|last=SAPA|title=No Mdluli link to Ramogibe's murder, court rules|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2012-11-02-mdluli-cleared-of-oupa-ramogibes-murder|accessdate=10 December 2012|newspaper=Mail & Guardian|date=2 November 2012}}
Reinstatement of charges
On 23 September 2013 Judge John Murphy instructed SAPS to reinstate all criminal charges against Mdluli without delay.[http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/prosecute-mdluli-judge-orders-1.1581830 Prosecute Mdluli, judge orders] IOL
Conviction and imprisonment
On 30 July 2019, Mdluli and his co-defendant Mthembeni Mthunzi were found guilty of four counts of intimidation, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of common assault and two counts of assault.{{Cite web|last=Chabalala|first=Riaan Grobler and Jeanette|title=Sentencing of Richard Mdluli for kidnapping, assault postponed for 6 weeks|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/sentencing-of-richard-mdluli-for-kidnapping-assault-postponed-for-6-weeks-20190919|access-date=2021-01-09|website=News24|language=en-US}} On 29 September 2020, they were sentenced to 5 years in prison,{{Cite web|date=2019-07-30|title=Richard Mdluli found guilty, 20 years later: Charges and offences explained|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/richard-mdluli-charges-guilty-jail-what-next/|access-date=2021-01-09|website=The South African|language=en-ZA}} which they both immediately began serving.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=September 29, 2020|title=Mdluli: first night in jail|url=http://www.trufm.co.za/sabc/home/trufm/news/details?id=6c8daa3a-f25b-432e-b834-91a58b6b0e41&title=Mdluli:%20first%20night%20in%20jail|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=9 January 2021|website=trufm.co.za}}{{Cite web|title=Former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli spends first night in jail|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/former-crime-intelligence-boss-richard-mdluli-spends-first-night-in-jail-c74c2590-38a8-4424-a497-ca130258fd6f|access-date=2021-01-09|website=www.iol.co.za|language=en}}
References
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{{Jacob Zuma}}
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Category:Police misconduct in South Africa
Category:South African police officers convicted of crimes
Category:South African prisoners and detainees