Three individuals were brought before a South African court on Monday accused of stealing millions of dollars in cash from a game farm belonging to President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 in a scandal that almost led to the downfall of the president two years ago.
Imanuwela David, Ndilinasho Joseph, and Froliana Joseph are facing charges of housebreaking and theft. The trio appeared at a regional court in Limpopo province, where the case was adjourned until November 26. Bail was extended for the Joseph siblings who were arrested in November last year, while David was ordered to remain in custody.
Ramaphosa was deeply affected by the “Farmgate” scandal, which was exposed when South Africa’s former spy chief, Arthur Fraser, revealed the incident to the police in June 2022. Fraser accused Ramaphosa of money laundering, corruption, and covering up a large theft of foreign currency.
Before becoming president, Ramaphosa was a wealthy and well-connected businessman, and he has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In June 2023, the anti-corruption watchdog cleared him of a potential conflict of interest related to the money discovered inside a sofa on his Phala Phala game farm.
The “Farmgate” scandal almost led to his removal as the African National Congress (ANC) leader, which is a prerequisite for being on the party’s ticket for this year’s presidential election. However, he successfully repelled a challenge from other ANC members.