Phala Phala co-accused wait to hear about bail

The woman who allegedly found the $580 000 (about R10.6 million at the time) stuffed into a sofa at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm in February 2020, will only know next week whether she will be released on bail.

Magistrate Predeshni Poonan postponed the case of Froliana Joseph to next Friday, along with that of her co-accused – her brother Ndilinasho David Joseph, and Imanuwela David.

The trio made their second appearance at the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo yesterday.

The state alleges that between 1 January and 9 February, 2020, the three conspired to commit housebreaking with intent to steal at the game farm.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Limpopo regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said that “on 8 January, 2020 David and two others” entered Stokkiesdraai farm believing it was Phala Phala farm.

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“The following night, they located the Phala Phala farm where they broke in, entered and stole $580 000,” she said.

The three suspects face charges of theft, housebreaking with intent to steal, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal.

David, the alleged mastermind in the crime, also faces an additional charge of money laundering.

With the matter now postponed, the state is planning to oppose bail for him. Only Floriana and Ndilinasho made their formal bail applications.

State asks for higher bail

The two said they had commitments, including children to care for, and could only afford R2 000 bail.

Although the state was not opposing bail, it requested bail for Froliana to be set at R5 000 and at R10 000 for Ndilinasho.

Senior state advocate Nkhetheni Gerald Munyai said the state wanted the accused to surrender their passports and to not interfere with witnesses.

Ndilinasho’s attorney, Mike Mokgobu, said his client would plead not guilty and that the state’s case was “weak”.

Ndilinasho is a South African citizen, born in Bela Bela, Limpopo. He works for Fidelity and was stationed in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.

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He does not have any previous convictions or any pending cases against him, except the current one. Froliana was also born in Bela Bela in 1992 and is a former employee at the farm.

She also intends pleading not guilty.

The theft came to light when former State Security Agency boss Arthur Fraser opened a case of kidnapping and money laundering against Ramaphosa, the head of the Presidential Protection Services Major-General Wally Rhoode and crime intelligence.

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