A POLICEMAN was asked in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court whether he had endangered the life of Oupa Ramogibe by taking him to a place where he had previously been shot at.
"I risked both our lives, not just his," Warrant Officer Samuel Dlomo told an inquest into the death, 13 years ago, of Ramogibe, who married the mistress of suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
State Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka asked Dlomo why he returned to the scene almost two months after the shooting happened.
Dlomo replied that he had wanted Ramogibe to point out the exact place he was shot at, so he could gather more evidence and look for cartridges from the shooting.
Gcaleka pointed out that in two separate statements, both written by Dlomo, there was no mention of two empty cartridges found at the scene.
"You are not telling the truth. You were well aware that cartridges were picked up at the scene," she said.
Dlomo said he found no cartridges, but that some were found by Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, a day after the shooting.
The inquest heard that Ramogibe paid Ximba R500 to borrow his car to go to Nelspruit on the night of the shooting.
Ximba went to bed when Ramogibe left and shortly afterwards heard gunshots. The next day Ramogibe went to him and told him what had happened.
Accompanied by two other police officers they went to the scene and two cartridges were found.
The inquest further heard from Ximba's statement that he was having an affair with another man's wife.
The man knew what car Ximba drove and called shortly after the shooting to hear if the officer was still alive before hanging up.
Gcaleka asked Dlomo about the purpose of taking someone to a crime scene almost two months after it happened without an artist or photographer present.
Dlomo replied: "Visiting the scene, there could have been something that would've assisted me as the investigating officer."
The inquest will determine whether to reinstate charges provisionally withdrawn in February against Mdluli, Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi.
The charges against them were intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
The inquest continues.
'I risked both our lives and not just his'
A POLICEMAN was asked in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court whether he had endangered the life of Oupa Ramogibe by taking him to a place where he had previously been shot at.
"I risked both our lives, not just his," Warrant Officer Samuel Dlomo told an inquest into the death, 13 years ago, of Ramogibe, who married the mistress of suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
State Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka asked Dlomo why he returned to the scene almost two months after the shooting happened.
Dlomo replied that he had wanted Ramogibe to point out the exact place he was shot at, so he could gather more evidence and look for cartridges from the shooting.
Gcaleka pointed out that in two separate statements, both written by Dlomo, there was no mention of two empty cartridges found at the scene.
"You are not telling the truth. You were well aware that cartridges were picked up at the scene," she said.
Dlomo said he found no cartridges, but that some were found by Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, a day after the shooting.
The inquest heard that Ramogibe paid Ximba R500 to borrow his car to go to Nelspruit on the night of the shooting.
Ximba went to bed when Ramogibe left and shortly afterwards heard gunshots. The next day Ramogibe went to him and told him what had happened.
Accompanied by two other police officers they went to the scene and two cartridges were found.
The inquest further heard from Ximba's statement that he was having an affair with another man's wife.
The man knew what car Ximba drove and called shortly after the shooting to hear if the officer was still alive before hanging up.
Gcaleka asked Dlomo about the purpose of taking someone to a crime scene almost two months after it happened without an artist or photographer present.
Dlomo replied: "Visiting the scene, there could have been something that would've assisted me as the investigating officer."
The inquest will determine whether to reinstate charges provisionally withdrawn in February against Mdluli, Samuel Dlomo, Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba, and Lieutenant Colonel Mtunzi-Omhle Mthembeni Mtunzi.
The charges against them were intimidation, kidnapping, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.
The inquest continues.