The Hawks have finally made a breakthrough in the Phala Phala farm break-in, where millions in foreign currency were apparently stolen from under a couch.
An unknown amount, believed to be in excess of $4 million (R73.16 million), was stolen in February 2020 during a housebreaking at the farm owned by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The spokesperson for the Hawks, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the two suspects, aged 30 and 39, were set to appear at the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The suspects were arrested on Sunday and Monday, respectively, on charges of housebreaking and theft.
Mogale says: “The pair was arrested in Rustenburg and Bela Bela, respectively, by the members of the National Serious Corruption Investigation in relation to the Phala Phala farm break-in in February 2020. The arrest of the third suspect is imminent.”
The Phala Phala saga was exposed by former spy boss Arthur Fraser, who laid criminal charges of money laundering against Ramaphosa and his head of security, General Wally Rhoode, in June 2022.
The Public Protector cleared Ramaphosa, and while the SA Reserve Bank also found that the prez was not legally entitled to the cash, it decided that since the transaction of the 20 buffalo purchase was not “perfected”, as the foreign businessman never received delivery, there was no legal obligation on the prez or his Ntaba Nyoni entity to declare the foreign currency.
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