Three accused in the theft of millions of rand in foreign currency at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala Farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. Image credit: SABC News.
(The Post News) – Modimolle Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Wednesday heard that the second state witness in the theft of foreign exchange at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Bela-Bela, had no information about the stolen money.
Advocate Koena Matlala has concluded cross-examining the 36-year-old housekeeper at Phala Phala farm. She is testifying against Immanuela David and siblings, Florian and Ndilinasho Joseph. The trio allegedly broke into Ramaphosa’s farm and stole more than $580 000 or more than R10 million that had been hidden in a sofa. They were arrested in October 2020.
Adv Matlala asked the housekeeper that after Mr Sylvester checked and went back to the house, did she get information that money was stolen from the farm. The witness said she did not hear anything about money.
The housekeeper, who has worked at Phala Phala for about a decade, added that there was a policy that only permanent cleaners had access to the main room where the money was hidden. She testified she doesn’t know whether Froliana, one of the accused, as a temp cleaner, had access to the main room.
The former acting lodge manager has earlier testified that the money stuffed inside a sofa in a spare bedroom in Ramaphosa’s house at the farm was from the sale of 20 buffalo, he hid the money when he prepared to go on leave. Meanwhile, a couch that was used to hide the money inside the farmhouse was no longer on the property when police arrived to investigate, News24 reported.
The prosecution plans to introduce cellphone records allegedly linking the accused to one another and intends to call more than 20 witnesses to testify. The court ordered that state witnesses cannot be filmed or identified. Phala Phala accused pleaded not guilty on charges against them. The trial is expected to run for three weeks, with hearings scheduled for 15, 17, 30 September and 1, 3, and 6 to 8 October.
About the Author
