The national head of crime intelligence, Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli, and his co-accused, Lieutenant-Colonel Omhle Mtunzi (52), court orderly Samuel Dlomo (49) and Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba (38), were granted bail of R20 000 by the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning.

The court found that the four would not pose a risk to the safety of state witnesses or threaten an investigation by the Hawks.

Boksburg magistrate Emmanuel Magomba said that the “bad blood” between Hawks boss Major General Shadrack Sibiya and Mdluli was evidence enough that Mdluli would not interfere in the investigation.

Mdluli, Vosloorus station commissioner at the time of the alleged offence, has been charged with murdering Oupa Ramogibe in 1999. The charges against the four include murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, intimidation, assault and defeating the ends of justice.

Throughout his bail application, Mdluli has argued that he is the victim of a conspiracy by senior police officials who want him removed from his post, saying there is no evidence to prove the state’s case.

The M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism, supported by M&G Media and the Open Society Foundation for South Africa, produced this story. All views are the centre’s. www.amabhungane.co.za.