Phala Phala drags on
POSTPONEMENT: ‘IT’S BEEN 3 MONTHS’ AS DEFENCE ASKS FOR FINAL DATE Two more suspects to be extradited for farm theft case, court hears.
It is premature to postpone this matter finally
The defence has complained about the delays in the Phala Phala game farm theft case as it was postponed to April. The alleged mastermind behind the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm in Limpopo, Imanuwela David, and his two co-accused, siblings Froliana and David Ndilinasho Joseph, appeared briefly in the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The three are facing charges of housebreaking, theft and conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal.
They allegedly stole $580 000 (about R11 million at today’s rate) at Ramaphosa’s farm in February 2020.
During yesterday’s proceedings, state prosecutor Nkhetheni Munyai asked for a postponement to finalise outstanding investigations, much to the displeasure of the defence.
The state is seeking to obtain additional information from cellphone service providers, video footage and financial statements.
The defence asked that the postponement be marked as final for the purpose of investigations.
“It’s been three months that accused number one has been appearing in court. He has also been denied bail so he is sitting in custody whereby the state now requests a further [postponement] for information that they rely on [from] third parties.
“They requested this date with a promise that they will have enough time to get the evidence that is required,” said defence attorney Koena Matlala. But Munyai rejected his submissions.
“I think it would not be appropriate [at this stage]. This is just a second remand we have requested for further investigations.
“To assume that it takes two or three months to get information from third parties is neither here nor there because the process involved is complex. I submit that it is premature to postpone this matter finally for further investigations until the next remand date,” he said.
Munyai proposed the date of 26 April, which was granted by magistrate Predeshni Poonan.
“Given the complexity of the matter, the court is not going to mark this remand final for further investigations,” she said.
The court also heard that the state was planning to extradite two more suspects linked to the case.
The two are believed to be in Namibia.
The Joseph siblings were released on bail in November.
The state did not oppose bail for them. It was set at R5 000 for Froliana Joseph and R10 000 for her brother. David Joseph was denied bail the next month after the court ruled there was a strong possibility that he might tamper with evidence or interfere with the investigation if he was released.
The defence has already informed the court that David Joseph intends to plead not guilty.
The Phala Phala theft came to light when former State Security Agency boss, Arthur Fraser, opened a case of kidnapping and money laundering against Ramaphosa and the head of the presidential protection services, Wally Rhoode, in June 2022.
Fraser accused Rhoode and the president’s advisor, Bejani Chauke, of attempting to conceal the incident.
They were accused of concealing the robbery.
Among the allegations was that Ramaphosa had paid off the suspects who had stole the money stashed in the furniture on the farmhouse, in exchange for their silence.