The three suspects charged with the burglary and theft of $580 000 cash in South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in Bela Bela, Limpopo, have pleaded not guilty.
Imanuwela David, the alleged mastermind who was denied bail, along with his two co-accused – Froliana Joseph, a former cleaner at the Phala Phala game farm, and her brother David Joseph, who were both granted bail of R5,000 – pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal, theft, and housebreaking. The trial began at the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo.
In June 2022, former Director General of South Africa’s State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, filed a criminal complaint against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The case stemmed from the alleged theft of millions of US dollars that had been concealed inside a couch during a break-in at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in Bela Bela, Limpopo, in February 2020.
Although Ramaphosa acknowledged that a break-in had occurred, he failed to report it to authorities. Fraser subsequently urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate Ramaphosa’s actions, accusing him of possible money laundering and corruption.
On Monday, the state announced plans to call just over 20 witnesses for the trial, which is expected to run for three weeks. The first witness, who is a former employee at the game farm, testified about how the cash, which was reportedly from Sudanese businessman Hazim Mustafa for the purchase of buffaloes ended up in a couch.
The former lodge manager told the court how he found it odd that Mustafa would bring cash for the purchase of 20 buffaloes, as payments were usually done electronically. He also confirmed that he is the one who moved the money from the safe to the couch.
He told the court that he was hesitant to leave the money in the safe because the room where it was kept was accessible to everyone. The room stored important items like documents, room keys for the farm, and records related to the animals being raised there.
PRESIDENT CLEARED OF WRONGDOING
In late 2022, an Independent Section 89 Panel found that there was prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa had violated his oath of office and broke anti-corruption laws after the cash was stolen from his farm in 2020.
In December 2023, the National Assembly debated whether to adopt or reject the Section 89 report. As previously reported, 214 Members of Parliament voted against the adoption, averting Ramaphosa’s potential impeachment.
Probes by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) and the Public Protector found President Cyril Ramaphosa not guilty of breaching the Executive Ethics Code.
Opposition parties including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have repeatedly said that they will not rest until Ramaphosa is held accountable.
The party said the statesman was exposed to have undermined the laws that regulate the entrance and management of foreign currency and all financial transactions that pertain to the exchange of foreign currency in South Africa.
