A witness in the trial of former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli recognised him as one of the men who came to her house looking for his ex-girlfriend.

Mdluli and former policeman Mthembeni Mthunzi are on trial in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg for charges relating to the 1999 kidnapping and murder of Oupa Ramogibe‚ who was married to Mdluli’s ex-lover Tshidi Buthelezi.

The men face charges including intimidation‚ assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm‚ kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.

Both Mdluli and Mthunzi‚ who is also known as Siluale‚ have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Charges against Mdluli were withdrawn in 2012‚ but were reinstated last year after lobby group Freedom under Law successfully challenged the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to drop the charges.

Sarah Ramogale‚ who is under witness protection and is sister to previous state witness Alice Manana‚ told the court on Wednesday that Mdluli and two other men came to her house in Orange Farm looking for Buthelezi.

She said the men‚ who were dressed in civillian clothing‚ identified themselves as law enforcers.

“One of them identified himself as Richard Mdluli‚ Tshidi’s husband.

“I didn’t trust what they were saying because they were not wearing police uniforms‚” Ramogale said.

She pointed Mdluli out in court as one of the men.

Ramogale said one of the men told her that she should take them to where Buthelezi was.

She asked if they could go to the Orange Farm police station to get police to escort them but the men “told me that I must not waste their time“.

She said she heard Manana’s voice coming from one of the cars the men were travelling in‚ pleading with her to take the men to Buthelezi.

She said she took the men to the house where she had dropped Buthelezi off after their stokvel party.

Ramogale said the men wielded guns as they entered the house.

“Mr Mdluli was instructing the other men what to do and where to go‚” Ramogale said.

She said Mdluli and the men later came out with Buthelezi and another man who looked like he was handcuffed.

Ramogale said she escaped and hid behind the fence of a nearby house.

“I hid myself and watched what was going on. I saw Mr Mdluli and Tshidi [Buthelezi] getting into a green Citi Golf.”

The trial continues.