JUST IN: Two accused found guilty in Phala Phala farm burglary trial as brother walks free

Two people accused of stealing US$580 000 from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm have been convicted of conspiracy to commit housebreaking and theft, while a third accused has been acquitted of all charges.

Imanuwela David, accused one and alleged mastermind behind the burglary, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit housebreaking and theft.

Floriana Joseph, accused two, was also convicted of the same offences in connection with the break-in at the president’s farm.

However, Ndilinasho David Joseph, the third accused, was acquitted after being found not guilty of all the charges.

Phala Phala ‘cover-up’

The Phala Phala scandal only became public in June 2022, when former State Security Agency (SSA) boss Arthur Fraser laid criminal charges against Ramaphosa and the head of the Presidential Protection Service (PPS), Wally Rhoode, with the South African Police Service (Saps), alleging that the pair had concealed the theft of $4 million (around R65.5 million).

Ramaphosa later confirmed that a burglary took place, but maintained that the $580 000 cash was payment for the sale of Ankole cattle to Sudanese businessperson Hazim Mustafa, who had not yet collected the livestock.

Further allegations by Fraser suggested that Rhoode improperly used state resources to investigate the theft and manage its fallout.

Subsequent investigations by the Public Protector, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), and the South African Revenue Service (Sars) cleared the president of wrongdoing.

However, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) concluded in its report that Rhoode deliberately covered up the break-in at Phala Phala farm in addition to kidnapping the suspects and interrogating them.