Hawks looking for two more in connection with Phala Phala robbery

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) are still looking for two more suspects in connection with the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm.

This was revealed by Hawks boss Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya during a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday on the unit’s successes in the second quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year,

Two more suspects

Lebeya said they were still looking for two other suspects on top of the three arrested earlier this month.

“There are obviously four legs that we deal with when we investigate what you normally package together as the Phala Phala.  You should have noticed that we have already taken two of these matters to court were three individuals have been arrested.

“And, as we are sitting here now, we are pursuing the other two. We will be able to communicate when we get hold of them. They are currently not in the country which is why it has not been easy to get hold of them like we have done with the others,” Lebeya said.

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Court

Earlier this month, two of the three suspects, Froliana Joseph and her brother David Joseph linked to the Phala Phala burglary were granted bail. The third, Imanuwela David, remains in custody.

They appeared in the Bela Bela District Court earlier this month on charges of theft, housebreaking with intent to steal, money laundering and conspiracy to commit robbery at the farm.

Magistrate Predeshni Poonan said Froliana Joseph and David Joseph co-operated with police, so the state was not opposed to them being released on bail.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi told The Citizen accused number one, Imanuwela David, had been remanded.

“His attorney Koena Matlala only appeared for him today. We are ready to proceed but he is only available on 6 December. So, the case has been postponed until then.”

Malabi-Dzhangi said the trio will be back in court on 6 December.

Theft

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.

They were accused of concealing the robbery.

Among the allegations was the president paid off suspects, who stole millions in foreign currency that was stashed in the furniture on the farmhouse, in exchange for their silence.

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