Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala robbery will be probed without fear or favour – Batohi

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi says the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Pahala Phala game farm will be investigated without fear or favour once it reaches her office.

Batohi made the statement during a media briefing on high-profile extraditions in Pretoria following a question from a reporter that there may be perceptions of a coverup on the Phala Phala matter.

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Batohi says the NPA is currently not involved in investigating the robbery at Ramaphosa’s farm.

“The DPCI are conducting investigations and once they reach a point when they feel that the NPA needs to be engaged, they will, and then we will deal with the matter as appropriate at the time.”

“But, just to say that this matter will be dealt with like any other matter – the rule of law must prevail in our country no matter what,” Batohi said.

Ramaphosa stands accused of concealing a robbery at his Phala Phala game farm in Limpopo on 9 February and later paying off suspects who stole millions in foreign currency for their silence.

Following the rats’ nest opened by former State Security Agency and Correctional Services head Arthur Fraser’s allegations of the theft, the pressure on Ramaphosa to publicly disclose what happened has been intense.

Fraser stated that Ramaphosa concealed the theft at his farm and accused the president of breaching the Prevention of Organised Crime Act by not reporting the crime.

Meanwhile, after weeks of not providing any information regarding the robbery, Ramaphosa finally responded to 31 questions sent to him by now suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

Ramaphosa was initially meant to respond to the questions on 22 June but had been given an extension.

His spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed Ramaphosa submitted written answers to the Public Protector’s office over the Phala Phala farm robbery on Friday.

Magwenya added that the threat of a subpoena from the Public Protector was unnecessary.

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