Court hears how SSA was made to pay for Richard Mdluli’s lifestyle expenses
Mdluli and two other former senior cops are being tried for allegedly looting the police’s slush fund during his time at the helm.
FILE: A photo taken on on 10 April 2012 shows the former chief of the South African police crime intelligence unit, Richard Mdluli, in Pretoria. Picture: STRINGER/AFP
JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court has heard how the State Security Agency (SSA) was made to pay for former crime boss Richard Mdluli’s lifestyle expenses, including swimwear and dining at hotels abroad.
Mdluli and two other former senior cops are being tried for allegedly looting the police’s slush fund during his time at the helm.
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This week, Mdluli pleaded not guilty to the crimes as his trial got under way.
Investigators have homed in on three overseas trips during Richard Mdluli’s tenure, where there was lavish spending and the SSA was allegedly made to pay.
One of the trips in November 2009 was to China, and investigators claim Mdluli had state security pay R100,000 for business class flight tickets for him and his then-wife.
They said he claimed the trip was to visit their daughter, who was an agent in China.
Investigating officer Colonel Kobus Roelofse has given details of some of the purchases the SSA was made to pay for.
Investigators have also probed the spending on two Singapore trips – one in October 2009, when Mdluli attended an Interpol General Assembly session.
“The first entry relates to PL ladies’ swimwear – one piece 18 Singapore dollars, wave swimwear tights - 1 piece 16 dollars and 50 cents - [the] third entry is wave swimwear tights, 33 dollars and 90 cents.”
The matter will resume on 19 May, where Roelofse will continue with his testimony.