Crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli and his three co-accused were granted bail by the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Mdluli was granted bail of R20,000 and his three co-accused bail of R10,000 each.

Magistrate Emmanuel Magomba said that while there was no direct evidence linking the four to the 1999 shooting, there was circumstantial evidence.

A witness had also seen three or four people running from the scene.

Magoba said a strong suspicion that Mdluli and court orderly Samuel Dlomo planned the killing of Oupa Abel Ramogibe in 1999 would be tackled during the trial.

Mdluli and Dlomo are charged, with Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, 38, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi, 52, of the shooting murder of Ramogibe.

They are also charged with intimidation, three counts of kidnapping, two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Mdluli faces an additional charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.

Ramogibe, who married Mdluli's ex-lover, was allegedly told to leave her or he would be killed. He had opened an attempted murder case before his death.

At the time, Mdluli was the station commissioner at the Vosloorus police station in Boksburg, on the East Rand.

Magomba said he took into consideration five key points: whether the accused would endanger public safety; evade trial; influence witnesses or tamper with evidence; undermine the criminal justice system; and undermine public order.

He said the charges of assault and kidnapping brought by a witness, Alice Manana, could be sustained because of the elapse of time since the crime.

He said the evidence by the State was subject to serious doubt, but that it was clear that Ramogibe was shot dead in the company of Dlomo.

He said Dlomo failed to shed light on the shooting.

Magomba said that State had a single witness who saw three to four officers running away from the crime scene.

"There is no evidence that any of the accused are linked to the shooting," he said.

He said it was unlikely that more evidence would be brought forward and that it was clear that attempts on the lives of witnesses were made.

He said dockets had disappeared and that it was no coincidence that these appeared in Mdluli's locker.

"Given the history of the case, the possibility of evidence being destroyed is understandable."

The magistrate said the docket opened previously was investigated by the Vosloorus police station, while Mdluli had influence over the officers.

"This says a lot about his influence. However the current team of investigators leader by Kobus Roelofse and Piet Viljoen from Cape Town are good. I doubt they [the accused] can influence them."