The sentencing in the High Court in Johannesburg of former Crime Intelligence boss, Richard Mdluli and his co-accused, Mthembeni Mthunzi, has been postponed to Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, the state sought to allay the accused’s fears that they might contract the coronavirus in prison due to underlying health conditions.
The case relates to the 1999 murder of Oupa Ramogibe, who allegedly had an affair with Mdluli’s customary wife, Tshidi Buthelezi.
In 2019, Mdluli and Mthunzi were found guilty on charges of kidnapping, common assault and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (assault GBH).
State witness Samuel Mahlangu from the Department of Correctional Services, told the court that Johannesburg prison has stringent measures in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus. He says that all new inmates are sanitized and screened daily.
Mahlangu says inmates are also supplied with facial masks and the prison deep cleaned on a regular basis.
Mdluli, the accused, who are in their 60s, had also appealed to the court not to impose a sentence direct imprisonment as they fear that they will be at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus, due to their underlying chronic medical conditions.
During Monday’s proceedings, Judge Ratha Mokgoatlheng described the crimes that the pair has been convicted of as very serious. He says they’re seasoned police officers who took the law into their own hands and also abused state resources in doing so.
Consequently, it is also stated that the object of the police service is to prevent, combat and investigate a crime. To maintain order, to protect and secure the inhabitants of the republic and their property and to uphold and enforce the law. That is the ambit of the authority of the accused before court. The accused abused, in an extremely egregious manner; they took state property, utilised the cars, the dockets, utilised manpower of the state. This was the taking of the law into their own hands.”
Both Mdluli and Mthunzi, dressed in suits, sat quietly in the dock, paying close attention to court proceedings.
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Source: sabcnews
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