House bought with stolen Phala Phala money sold to Namibian national, court told

BELA BELA - A house allegedly bought with money stolen from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm was sold to a Namibian national.

This was revealed at the Bela Bela Magistrates Court in Limpopo on Wednesday during the bail application of Imanuwela David.

David, along with two other accused, are charged with the housebreaking and theft of about US$580,000 in cash from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in February 2020.

Investigating officer, Ludi Schnelle, said that Imanuwela David splashed the money he stole from Ramaphosa’s farm on himself, his girlfriend, friends and family.

He said David bought a Mercedes-Benz and a house in Rustenburg for R900,000 just a month after the robbery at Phala Phala.

"This transaction was flagged by the Financial Intelligence Centre as a suspicious transaction and the purchase of this property was facilitated using the illicit funds stolen during the housebreaking at Phala Phala."

Schnelle said this house had since been transferred to a Namibian national by the name of Hafeni Felish for an undisclosed amount.

The investigating officer said that the house was now being rented out to someone unrelated to this case.

Schnelle will resume his testimony on Thursday.