Phala Phala: R10 million theft case postponed as ‘mastermind’ Imanuwela David languishes in prison
THREE people who are facing charges in connection with the grand theft of US$580,000 (around R10.87 million) at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm house in Limpopo have appeared before the Modimolle Regional Court.
Limpopo spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the high-profile case was postponed to November.
“The matter of conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal, housebreaking with intent to steal and money laundering in the Phala Phala game farm is postponed to November 26, 2024 in the Modimolle Regional Court for a pre-trial conference,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
In August, IOL reported that the case against the trio was postponed to October 7, after the alleged mastermind in the multi-million rand February 2020 heist, Imanuwela David appeared in court alongside his co-accused, Floriana Joseph and Ndilinasho Joseph.
The matter of housebreaking was previously postponed for disclosure of the docket and the arrangement of an Oshiwambo interpreter. The Oshiwambo language is spoken by the Ovambo people in southern Angola and greater parts of Namibia. The Ovambo people also called Aawambo, Ambo, Ovawambo and are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily modern Namibia.
Last year, it was reported that the accused people are from Namibia but are South African citizens.
“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,” the NPA previously stated.
The NPA said the trio faces multiple charges.
“The accused are facing the following charges: conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal, housebreaking with intent to steal, housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, and the money laundering charge applies to Imanuwela David only.”
David was previously denied bail and has been in custody since his arrest last year.
David is charged alongside siblings Froliana Joseph, who was a domestic worker at the Phala Phala farm and her brother, Ndilinasho.
Ramaphosa’s former housekeeper, Froliana, and her brother, Ndilinasho, who are accused number two and three, were granted R5,000 and R10,000 bail, respectively, in November last year.
The State had not opposed bail when the siblings were released. Their stringent bail conditions include that they hand over their passports, and they may not leave the Bela-Bela area without informing the police.
In December, Bela Bela Magistrate Predeshni Ponnan ruled that David had not discharged the burden of proof placed on him that he is a good candidate for bail.
IOL