Phala Phala: South Africa wants to extradite two suspects from Namibia for R10 million theft at President Ramaphosa’s farm
Three people who were arrested last year in connection with the grand theft of $580,000 (about R10 million) inside a house at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm in February 2020 appeared in court on Friday.
Imanuwela David, 39, is charged alongside siblings Froliana Joseph, who was a domestic worker at the Phala Phala farm and her brother, Ndilinasho Joseph.
The alleged mastermind behind the heist, David, was denied bail in December as the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court ruled that he could evade just if released.
The Joseph siblings were released on bail in November. The State did not oppose bail for the duo, and it was set at R5,000 for Froliana and R10,000 for Ndilinasho.
Their stringent bail conditions include that they hand over their passports, and they may not leave the Bela-Bela area without informing the police.
On Friday, Limpopo spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said the matter was postponed to April.
“The accused in the Phala Phala matter has been postponed to April 26 2024 for further investigations. The State requested postponement to finalise outstanding investigations which involves assistance of the third parties like cellphones records and video footage,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
Without giving additional details, the NPA on Friday revealed that it will be seeking the extradition of two more suspects from neighbouring Namibia.
“We will request extradition from Namibia in order to get two more suspects,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
In November, IOL reported that the money stolen from Ramaphosa’s house amounted to US$580,000.
The three arrested suspects, David and the Joseph siblings, according to the NPA, are South African citizens of Namibian origin.
“They come from Namibia, but they are citizens of South Africa. They are legally here in South Africa. They have the citizenship of South Africa,” Malabi-Dzhangi previously stated.
According to the NPA, investigations have revealed that from January 1, 2020, the accused people conspired to commit housebreaking with the intent to steal at the Phala Phala farm.
“On January 8, 2020, Imanuwela David and two others entered Stokkiesdraai farm believing that it was Phala Phala farm. They broke in and entered but nothing was stolen.
“The following night, they located the Phala Phala farm, where they broke, entered, and stole $580,000.”
The stolen money was reportedly stuffed in furniture, inside a house on the president’s farm.
IOL