The former Crime Intelligence boss, Richard Mdluli, is asking Judge Bert Bam to recuse himself from the trial in the Pretoria High Court, saying the judge is biased against him.
Mdluli, together with Heine Barnard and Solomon Lazarus, are accused of looting the Crime Intelligence’s secret slush fund. They are charged with fraud, corruption and theft.
Mdluli’s advocate, Ike Motloung, says Bam must recuse himself as he has shown during previous court proceedings that he is not interested in Mdluli’s freedom, that he allowed the media to record the proceedings without input from the parties, and that Bam issued a baseless warrant of arrest for Mdluli earlier this year.
Motloung told the court his case needs an open-minded judge without pre-conceived ideas. He says they fear Bam will not be impartial. The application continues.
In February, Mdluli didn’t pitch in court:
Mdluli sentenced to 5 years in prison for kidnapping and assault
In 2020 Mdluli and co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi have been sentenced to five years in prison for kidnapping and assault at the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
Both suspects were sentenced to three years for two counts of kidnapping which will run concurrently. Two years imprisonment for common assault will also run concurrently with two years for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The case relates to the 1999 murder of Oupa Ramogibe, who allegedly had a relationship with Mdluli’s customary wife – Tshidi Buthelezi.
Mdluli and Mthunzi were found guilty of kidnapping and assault as well as four counts of intimidation in 2019.
