By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has been asked to probe claims the police helped cover up the theft of a large amount of foreign currency from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm.
The investigation follows a request from the African Transformation Movement (ATM).
The burglary at the Limpopo farm came to light when former spy boss Arthur Fraser opened a criminal case in June, claiming the president used state resources to hide the theft of millions of dollars from his Phala Phala farm.
ATM has now also entered the fray with a request that the police watchdog investigate claims that top police covered up the scandal.
The party wants Ipid to investigate newly appointed national police commissioner Fannie Masemola and his predecessor, Khehla Sitole, because they were “in the know” about the burglary and failed to act.
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping says they’ve requested more information from ATM.
“We have not started with the investigation, but we want to meet with the representative of ATM so that we can be able to interview them and make an assessment on whether can Ipid investigate the matter in terms of the Ipid Act in our mandate.
“We have requested the ATM chairperson to present himself to us so that we can obtain a formal statement to be able to make an assessment as to whether can this matter be fully investigated by the Ipid.”
The party also requested the suspension of the police officials who were implicated pending an investigation, saying it would be a conflict of interest for them to oversee the investigation.
The EFF has assembled a legal team, led by advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, to look into constitutional provisions to get Ramaphosa to step aside from his position.
EFF leader Julius Malema has called on the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority, the South African Revenue Service and the Reserve Bank to look into whether the President is implicated in criminality.
The DA has requested that a separate parliamentary committee investigate the Phala Phala scandal, and has further written to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to probe the President for money laundering.
Ramaphosa is expected to appear before the ANC’s Integrity Commission after he volunteered to explain allegations that he had covered up the theft of a large sum of money from his farm.