The case against two suspects arrested in connection with the break-in at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm has been postponed until Friday 10 November, by the Bela Bela Magistrates Court in Limpopo.
Froliana Josephand and Imanuwela David together with other unknown accomplices, are accused of breaking into the president farm in 2020 and stole $580 000, which is about R10 million at the current exchange rate.
The suspects aged 30 and 39 were arrested on Sunday and Monday, in Rustenburg and Bela Bela respectively.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said the suspects are facing several charges.
“The two suspects are facing two charges of conspiracy to commit housebreaking with intent to steal and theft, housebreaking to steal, and money laundering.
“Josephand was a temporary worker at the farm and was very familiar with the area. It is suspected that she invited David together with other suspects, to go and rob the farm,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
She highlighted that David and two other unknown suspects first went to a wrong farm and left when they couldn’t find any valuables.
They then went to Phala Phala farm the following night where the money was stolen. According to the NPA the money was transferred to several accounts, where some cars and properties were bought. The two are Namibian citizens but have South African citizenship.
“They’re coming from Namibia but are citizens of South Africa, they are legally here,” explained Malabi-Dzhangi.
The court ordered that the Josephand be allowed to breastfeed her one-year-old child three times a day at the holding cells.
The NPA said the arrest for a third suspect is imminent and didn’t rule out the arrest of some suspects linked to the robbery.
Both the accused were remanded in custody until Friday for a formal bail application as well as legal representation for accused one.
