Two arrested in South Africa over cash theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm
Two arrested in South Africa over cash theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm
Police in South Africa said on Monday they have arrested two people in connection with a burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farmhouse that grew into a major scandal that almost cost him his job.
The pair, aged 39 and 30, were held on charges of house breaking and theft and will appear in court on Tuesday, according police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale.
The arrests took place in Rustenburg and Bela Belao, two towns to the west and north of Pretoria on Sunday and Monday respectively, Mogale said, adding a third arrest was “imminent”.
The alleged 2020 theft saw Ramaphosa accused of trying to cover up the crime.
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An independent panel last year found he “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct in his handling of the affair.
But parliament later voted against initiating impeachment proceedings that could have forced him out of office.
The scandal erupted in June, 2022, when the country’s former spy boss filed a complaint with the police alleging that Ramaphosa had concealed the theft of a huge haul of foreign currency from his Phala Phala farm instead of reporting it to police.
The accusation raised suspicions of money-laundering and corruption but Ramaphosa, who came into office promising a “new dawn” after the scandal-rocked tenure of former president Jacob Zuma, denied any wrongdoing.
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Cash-in-sofa scandal: South Africa parliament votes against ousting Ramaphosa
He admitted to investigators that cash – more than half a million dollars stashed beneath sofa cushions – was stolen but said the money was payment for buffaloes bought by a Sudanese businessman.
In August, South Africa’s corruption watchdog absolved the president of allegations he breached executive ethics, finding that his handling of the case was not in violation of the constitution.
