Increase In Alleged Phala Phala Heist As Stolen Amount Expected To Rise, Revealing Lavish Spending Network

In a surprising turn of events, the alleged Phala Phala heist, which captured headlines in 2020, is taking an unexpected twist. The initially reported figure of $580,000 (then R10.8 million), attributed to the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s property, is now under scrutiny. New information suggests that the actual amount pilfered by the apprehended suspects far exceeds the previously disclosed sum.

Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, the spokesperson for the Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), confirmed the upcoming revision, stating that the new undisclosed figure, a result of ongoing investigations, will surpass the initially reported amount. Simultaneously, the Asset Forfeiture Unit is delving into a property in Rustenburg and other assets linked to the primary suspect, Imanuwela David.

Bank records indicate that the suspects spent a sum greater than the reported $580,000 following the heist. President Ramaphosa reported the incident to the police only after former intelligence head Arthur Fraser filed criminal charges against him. The investigation may shed light on the mystery surrounding the foreign currency supposedly acquired from a Sudanese merchant on Christmas Day, 2020, in exchange for buffalo. Ramaphosa revealed that he stashed the money under a couch, only realizing it was missing two months later.

The high-profile trial of Imanuwela David, the alleged mastermind, and Phala Phala domestic staff Floriana Joseph for housebreaking and theft at Ramaphosa’s game farm has commenced in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo. Bank documents obtained by Sunday World indicate that the suspects indulged in a lavish shopping spree surpassing the reported amount, raising doubts about the accuracy of the NPA’s charges, which currently stand at $580,000.

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In an exclusive report, Sunday World reveals that David spent over R20 million in the aftermath of the crime. As the trial unfolds, it is anticipated to unveil new information, potentially exposing a web of multimillion-dollar details surrounding the alleged heist.