A 27-year-old man has been apprehended by the Hawks in connection with the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm. The individual voluntarily handed himself over at the Bela-Bela police station on Thursday. He is set to appear in the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court on Friday alongside Namibian nationals Imanuwela David and Froliana Joseph, who were arrested earlier in Bela-Bela and Rustenburg.
The trio is accused of stealing $580,000 (approximately R10 million at the time) from Ramaphosa’s farm in 2020. David and Joseph were arrested on Sunday and Monday, respectively, and appeared in court on Tuesday facing charges of robbery and theft. David faces an additional charge of money laundering. Both remain in police custody.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Joseph has an infant child who requires breastfeeding. The magistrate ordered the police to bring the child from home to ensure her care. The court also heard that the suspects had mistakenly entered Stokkiesdraai farm instead of Phala Phala on 8 January 2020 before successfully locating and breaking into Phala Phala the following night.