By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The case against the two people arrested in connection with a break-in at President Cyril Ramaphos’s Phala Phala farm has been postponed until Friday.
Imanuwela David (39) and Froliana Joseph (30) made a brief appearance in the Bela Bela Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The pair stands accused of breaking into the president’s farm in Limpopo in February 2020, and stealing more than $500,000.
They were arrested on Sunday and Monday in Rustenburg and Bela Bela, respectively.
The president’s farm made headlines last year after former spy boss Arthur Fraser revealed that thousands of US dollars were stolen at the farm in February 2020.
Fraser alleged Ramaphosa attempted to cover up the theft at the Limpopo farm.
During the 2020 robbery, an undisclosed amount of US dollars was stolen – believed to be hidden in the cushions of a sofa in the home.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi says the two face four charges, including conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, housebreaking with intent to steal, housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, and money laundering.
Malabi-Dzhangi says Joseph is believed to be a central figure in the robbery.
“Froliana Joseph was a worker on the farm on a temporary base, and Imanuwela David was not familiar with the farm. It is alleged that he was invited by accused number two, who was the cleaner on the farm,” she said.
She confirmed that the accused are originally from Namibia, but they now hold South African citizenship.
The case has been postponed to Friday, 10 November, for the bail application of Joseph and for David to secure legal representation.