State has no evidence against ‘coup plotter’
Charged with incitement to commit murder
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has admitted it does not have evidence that Elvis Ramosebudi tried to plot a coup by killing high-profile government ministers.
Ramosebudi‚ 33‚ appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court for a few minutes yesterday while the prosecution asked for his bail application to be postponed until Friday.
The state also changed the charge against him from conspiracy to commit murder to incitement to commit murder.
NPA spokeswoman Phindi Louw told journalists outside the court that “at this stage we don’t have information that suggests this is a coup plot”.
She said the evidence the NPA had was that he tried to “incite” Anglo American to fund crime by asking it for money to kill government ministers as well as President Jacob Zuma.
“The proper charge that can be preferred is incitement.”
A conspiracy charge requires two or more people to conspire together to commit a crime. “Ramosebudi acted alone‚” she said.
Ramosebudi allegedly ran two organisations – the Anti-State Capture Death Squad Alliance and the AntiWhite Monopoly Capitalists Regime.
According to the Hawks‚ these organisations were apparently planning to kill 19 ministers and other high-profile officials. Lawyers for the Gupta family said they received a letter from him asking for R30-million to assassinate former public protector Thuli Madonsela‚ ex finance minister Nhlanhla Nene and former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas.