Former police major-general Mulangi Mphego has been granted R5,000 bail after his arrest over allegedly possessing more than 100 rounds of police-issued ammunition and documents linked to the investigation into the murder of Lieutenant-General Sindile Mfazi.
Mphego appeared briefly in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where he was charged with contravention of the Firearms Control Act.
His bail conditions prohibit him from contacting state witnesses and require him to attend court
Mphego was arrested on Monday by the South African Police Service’s National Cold Case Unit.
The ammunition allegedly seized included rounds for R5 rifles and 9mm firearms, despite Mphego having left the police service nearly two decades ago.
The arrest brings renewed attention to the former senior intelligence officer’s controversial past, including a political and legal scandal that forced him to resign as acting head of the SAPS Crime Intelligence unit in 2009.
Mphego was charged with defeating the ends of justice after allegations that he improperly intervened to obtain a secret affidavit and video recording from convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti.
The material was intended to support former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi, who was facing corruption charges.
Mphego was also alleged by intelligence sources to have played a key role in leaking intercepted recordings known as the “Spy Tapes” to Jacob Zuma’s legal team.
The recordings exposed alleged political interference involving the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Scorpions.
In April 2009, the NPA controversially withdrew corruption charges against Zuma.
The matter returns to court on November 3.
