Johnathan Paoli
THE Bela Bela Magistrate’s court postponed the bail application of Froliana Joseph and Imanuwela David on Tuesday, following the pair’s arrest by the Hawks for their involvement in a break in at the Phala Phala farm of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The former employee and her co-accused face charges pertaining to conspiracy to commit housebreaking, theft and housebreaking, and the intent to steal, with David facing an additional charge of money laundering due to allegedly having siphoned off the stolen money after the robbery.
The two accused said in court that they had initially broken into the wrong farm called Stokkiesdraai in search of the foreign currency, businessman Hazim Mustafa had allegedly given in the sale of buffalo.
The next day the accused broke into Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, where they found the $580,000 they are accused of stealing.
NPA Limpopo regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said that despite being of Namibian origin, they were citizens of South Africa, and in the country legally.
“The second accused, Floriana, was an employee at the farm, but on a temporary basis. She is the one who was familiar with the farm, and it is alleged that she invited the other accused. Imanuwela was not familiar with the farm, and it is alleged he was invited by accused number two,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
Malabi-Dzhangi said the court ruled that Joseph, considering her current familial situation, would be allowed to breast-feed her child three times a day.
The matter has been postponed to November 10 in order for David to arrange legal representation and for a formal bail application.
READ: Two new Phala Phala Farm robbery suspects in court
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