The case against the three men accused of conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal and money laundering at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Limpopo game farm has been postponed to November.
The accused appeared before Magistrate Peter Manthata in the Modimolle Regional Court, where the matter was postponed for a pre-trial conference.
Namibian nationals, Imanuwela David, Froliana Joseph and Ndilinasho Joseph were linked to the theft of foreign currency at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Game Farm, west of Bela Bela in the Waterberg region.
The incident happened on February 9, 2020, in which an indeterminate amount of cash was reportedly stolen.
Stuffed under sofa cushions
The money, which was stuffed under sofa cushions, is believed to come from the sale of a buffalo that was bought by a Sudanese businessman.
David, the alleged mastermind behind the burglary, is facing an additional charge of money laundering and will remain in custody while the bail of the two Joseph siblings is extended.
Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi, the provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, confirmed that the three are facing charges of conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal, housebreaking with intent to steal, theft and money laundering.
Former spy boss Arthur Fraser alleged that about $4-million (R60-million) of undeclared foreign currency had been stolen.
However, subsequent reports indicated that the amount stolen was $580 000.
Ramaphosa vehemently denied any wrongdoing and asked for judicial review of a 2022 report by a parliament-appointed panel that accused him of “serious misconduct.”
However, Parliament rejected the Section 89 panel’s report on the Phala Phala scandal.
Opposition parties and MPs have slammed investigations into the source of the cash and have accused the South African Reserve Bank of providing a claptrap report and systemic cover-up.
Cleared of misconduct
Ramaphosa was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing by the public protector, advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, but has found the police wanting in the handling of the burglary.
While the public protector cleared Ramaphosa of any misconduct, his Major-General, Wally Rhoode, and presidential protection official, Sergent Hlulani Rikhotso, were found to have displayed improper conduct in their handling of the investigation.
One of the 12 reports that Gcaleka has made public includes an investigation into the EFF’s allegations of judicial capture.
Gcaleka said the investigation into the epic Phala Phala burglary looked at three major issues around the president, which included whether he contravened the executive ethics code, acted in his oath of office, and abused his powers.
