Presidents dilly-dallying over Phala Phala scandal

Two presidents have for the past two weeks failed to come clean and explain their roles in the alleged cover-up in the theft of undisclosed American dollars, estimated to be US$4 million, at the Phala Phala farm owned by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in February 2020.Former state security director-general Arthur Fraser, in an affidavit filed when he opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa at the Rosebank police station last Wednesday, alleged that the president “sought the help” of his Namibia counterpart, Hage Geingob, “in apprehending the suspect in Namibia”.Fraser also implicated Ramaphosa’s head of the presidential protection unit, Wally Rhoode, in allegations of criminal conduct.Not involvedThe main culprit in the ‘Dollar$gate’ saga is Immanuwela David, the man believed to be the mastermind of the robbery at Ramaphosa’s farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo. David was arrested in Namibia in June 2020.“David was kept in jail for entering Namibia illegally and failing to declare unidentified goods, but the truth was that he was kept there and interrogated about where he had hidden Ramaphosa’s money,” a Namibian official with intimate knowledge of the case said yesterday.“It is strongly believed that David smuggled N$7 million into Namibia to wash in different business deals, including a car dealership,” the official added.Ramaphosa has acknowledged that there was indeed a robbery at his farm, but he vehemently denied that he asked the Namibian president for help.Due processRamaphosa also claims that he wasn’t aware that Rhoode, whom he had tasked to investigate the robbery at his farm, had allegedly kidnapped and tortured the suspects to hand back the remaining loot.During the closing of the Limpopo ANC provincial conference last Sunday, Ramaphosa maintained that he had not broken any law or committed a crime. He said the money stolen at his Phala Phala farm in 2020 was from selling game animals and cattle.“I remain fully focused on the task that the people of our country have given me. I want to reaffirm that I was not involved in any criminal conduct, and once again I pledge my full cooperation with any form of investigation,” Ramaphosa said.“Due to the investigation, I will not be able to engage deeply or further in this matter as we should allow the due process to take place.”Under pressureRamaphosa told those gathered there that he had never stolen money from anywhere, be it from taxpayers or anywhere else.“I have never done so. I will never steal money from the taxpayers. My integrity as a leader can never allow me to do so. I will continue to fight corruption,” he said.While the pressure is mounting for Ramaphosa to step aside, while allowing the law to take its course, Geingob is also under pressure in Namibia from the media and opposition parties who won’t let the matter die down.On Friday, Geingob’s office issued a statement stating that Fraser did not “make any allegation of criminality on the part of President Geingob”, while he was fielding questions from journalists on his alleged role in helping Ramaphosa gain access to the suspects.But a confidential report compiled by former Namibian crime investigations department head Nelius Becker, dated 21 June 2020, stated that the robbery mastermind David told police he paid a syndicate that was allegedly smuggling people between South Africa and Namibia N$50 000 to help him enter the country illegally.Nothing sinisterIn this report, Becker dropped a bombshell when he reported that “discussions are allegedly ongoing between the countries’ two presidents".Geingob’s press secretary Alfredo Hengari, on Saturday, said he cannot comment on allegations that Namibian citizens were kidnapped and tortured, as alleged in Fraser’s affidavit.“We are waiting for the investigation in South Africa to unfold and guide us as to whether or not these allegations are true,” Hengari said.When asked whether he was disputing Becker’s assertions that the two presidents were discussing the crime that had been committed at Ramaphosa’s farm - as both denied it - Hengari said: “Anybody can name-drop and say some things that are not factual.”Becker also confirmed to Namibian Sun last week that he had penned the report and that he stands by its contents.During a press briefing last week, Geingob stressed that he spoke to Ramaphosa regularly, but it was nothing sinister as he did the same with other African and SADC leaders.“It is a criminal case. People who are here and who came illegally were arrested. He was later charged, bailed, and went back to South Africa. So, I don’t know what favour I would have done anybody so let’s see, let them bring it up in court, because it’s going to be in court, so let’s not divert,” he said.

Presidents dilly-dallying over Phala Phala scandal

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Jason Asser 2 Year Ago 14 June 2022

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Presidents dilly-dallying over Phala Phala scandal

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Jason Asser 2 Year Ago 14 June 2022

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