A court in South Africa delivered guilty verdicts for two individuals connected to a theft at a cattle farm owned by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Imanuwela David was convicted of theft as well as conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal at the Phala Phala property in Limpopo province. Froliana Joseph, employed as a cleaner at the facility, was found guilty of conspiracy charges. Her brother, Ndilinasho Joseph, was acquitted of all charges brought against him.
The incident occurred in February 2020, when David allegedly broke into the farm and removed more than $580,000 in cash from inside the residence. Following the theft, David engaged in significant spending, acquiring multiple vehicles including three Mercedes-Benz automobiles, a Porsche, and two Volkswagens, as well as luxury watches and a residential property. During court proceedings, David claimed he had acquired his wealth through various business ventures involving diamonds and cryptocurrency. The court rejected these assertions and determined that David alone possessed evidence of stolen funds in his banking records.
The theft remained largely undisclosed until 2022, when Arthur Fraser, a former head of South Africa’s intelligence agency, publicly revealed details of the incident. Fraser alleged that Ramaphosa had concealed the burglary from law enforcement and tax officials. The president subsequently acknowledged that the theft had occurred but maintained his innocence of any misconduct. An independent panel examination that year concluded Ramaphosa may have faced questions regarding the incident.
The case triggered significant political consequences. Members of parliament voted against initiating an impeachment inquiry. However, in May this year, the constitutional court determined that parliament had acted illegally by dismissing the panel’s findings. Subsequently in July, Ramaphosa obtained a court order from a provincial court preventing the parliamentary inquiry from proceeding. Pre-sentencing proceedings for the convicted individuals are scheduled for 13 November.
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