Latest news with #ModimolleRegionalCourt
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- The Citizen
Phala Phala case postponed in regional court
The robbery in which foreign currency to the amount of $580 000 in cash (R10,4 million) was hidden in a sofa, was stolen from Ramaphosa's residence made international headlines. After an initial comprehensive investigation process, Ramaphosa was later cleared of any wrongdoing. The controversial farm theft scandal nearly brought down the president when the news broke. The game farm is situated 43 km west of Bela-Bela in the Waterberg region. The three siblings accused of the robbery back in February of 2020 appeared before the Modimolle Regional Court on Monday with magistrate Peter Manthata presiding over the matter. According to the records, one of the accused, Floriana David, was a housekeeper at the residence of pres. Ramaphosa on his farm outside of Bela-Bela. She allegedly tipped off her brothers, Ndilinasho Joseph David and Imanuwela David, about the obscene amount of foreign currency hidden in a sofa in the residence. The mastermind for the robbery is believed to be Imanuwela David. He is also the only one of the three accused who didn't make bail as he was considered a flight risk. He has been charged with housebreaking, theft, money laundering and conspiracy to break in with the intention of theft. Floriana and Ndilinasho were both charged with conspiracy to break in with the intention of theft. They were granted bail. Floriana's bail was set at R5000 and Ndilinasho's bail was R10 000. Before the accused appeared before the court on Monday, Mashudu Malabi, NPA spokesperson for the Limpopo Division, stated that the defence will apply for a postponement. The presiding officer magistrate Peter Manthata heard the defence's application for postponement on the grounds that accused number two, Floriana David, is not medically fit to testify at present. The court accepted into evidence a doctor's note stating the condition of the accused. The case was then postponed on the grounds of Floriana David being highly pregnant and close to her delivery date. The case will continue before the Modimolle regional court on Monday, 15 September 2025. The court proceedings are planned to last approximately four weeks in total, during which witnesses will also be called to the stand to testify. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Eyewitness News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Phala Phala: Ramaphosa not part of 23 state witnesses set to testify during trial
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa is not part of the 23 state witnesses scheduled to testify during the trial of the burglary at his Phala Phala farm. On 9 February 2020, the farm was broken into with the perpetrators making off with 580 thousand us dollars in cash, hidden inside a sofa. The money was given to the president's farm by a Sudanese businessman who wanted to buy 20 buffalo. On Monday, Imanuwela David, Froliana and David Joseph appeared at the Modimolle Regional Court, where they are each charged with burglary and theft. Despite owning the Phala Phala farm, Ramaphosa will play no part in the trial. This has been confirmed by the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dhzangi. Asked if Ramaphosa is going to be part of the state's 23 witnesses,Malabi-Dhzangi said no. "No, the people who are going to be involved in this are the managers of the farm, they are the complainants in this matter." Monday was set to be the first day of the trial, however, it was postponed due to one of the accused, Froliana Joseph, being heavily pregnant.
The Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Phala Phala farm cash-in-couch burglary case heads to court
The trial into the 2020 burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala game farm is set to start on Monday, May 19, at the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo. The case has drawn significant attention as it marks a major development in a saga that has captured public and political interest across South Africa for nearly three years. The accused are siblings Floriana and Ndilinasho David Joseph, along with their alleged co- conspirator, Imanuwela David. They face charges related to the theft of US$ 580 000 - over R10 million - reported to be payment from a Sudanese businessman for a batch of 20 buffalo. Although the burglary took place in 2020, details only emerged publicly in 2022, sparking intense scrutiny of the president's response to the incident. Central to the case is how the trio allegedly accessed the private property and concealed their crime for an extended period. During bail hearings last year, the prosecution stated that Floriana, a former cleaner at Phala Phala, tipped off her brother and his friend about cash hidden inside a couch on the farm. The robbery reportedly happened on February 9, 2020 . The accused are said to have removed the money hidden in a couch and later used the stolen cash extravagantly. David, identified as the mastermind, allegedly spent the funds on luxury vehicles and high- end goods, displaying his lavish lifestyle on social media. All three defendants have declared their intention to plead not guilty in court. The prosecution plans to present 22 witnesses, including farm employees, investigating officers, and financial experts who monitored the suspects' spending patterns following the theft. While the case focuses on the accused individuals, the broader fallout has weighed heavily on Ramaphosa's presidency. Questions remain about why the burglary was not reported to the police sooner and concerns about how presidential security handled the recovery of stolen funds outside of formal legal channels. A parliamentary inquiry in late 2022 suggested that Ramaphosa might face consequences over the matter, though the Constitutional Court subsequently dismissed calls for further legal action. The president has consistently denied any misconduct, maintaining the money was legally earned and that the matter was reported to his security team. The Phala Phala incident continues to be a politically charged topic, with opposition parties using it to challenge the president's integrity and transparency. As the criminal trial begins, it is expected to reopen debates about how South African leaders balance private business dealings with public office. The accused are scheduled to enter their formal pleas as the court proceedings start this morning.
Eyewitness News
19-05-2025
- Eyewitness News
Trial into Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm burglary set to begin
JOHANNESBURG - The trial into the highly publicised burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm begins on Monday. Siblings Froliana and David Joseph, along with their accomplice, Imanuwela David, are accused of breaking into the Limpopo farm in 2020 and making off with $580,000 in cash. The money was game proceeds from a Sudanese businessman who intended to buy 20 buffalo. The three accused are expected to appear at the Modimolle Regional Court on Monday morning. During the bail application stage, the State revealed how the trio pulled off the country's most famous heist. Froliana, a former cleaner at the Phala Phala farm, allegedly tipped off her brother and his friend about the stash of money, hidden in a sofa at the property. On 9 February 2020, they allegedly executed the robbery. David, the alleged mastermind behind the operation, is said to have blown some of the money on cars and expensive alcohol while flaunting it all on social media. In previously submitted court affidavits, all three indicated their intention to plead not guilty. The State has lined up 23 witnesses to prove its case.
Eyewitness News
19-05-2025
- Eyewitness News
NPA files extradition request for 2 Namibians linked to Phala Phala burglary
MODIMOLLE - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has filed an extradition request to the Namibian government for two suspects linked to the burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm. On Monday, the trial into the theft of foreign currency begins at the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo. Siblings Froliana and David Joseph, along with their accomplice, Imanuwela David, are accused of breaking into the Limpopo farm in 2020 and making off with $580,000 in cash. ALSO READ: Trial into Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm burglary set to begin During the bail application stage, it was confirmed that the three accused are all South African citizens. However, the alleged burglary mastermind, David, told the court that he has family connections in Namibia. The State believes two Namibian adult males assisted him with laundering the stolen loot. NPA Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dhzangi explains: 'For now, we are going to proceed with the trial with three people. We have already done the process of extradition to get other accused persons, but they are not going to join the trial at this stage.' The trial has been scheduled to run for four weeks.
