SA’s Ramaphosa to face subpoena over Phala Phala farm scandal

In June, the watchdog opened a probe into breaches of government code arising from $4m theft from the president’s farm.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa throughout a European Union - African Union summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 18, 2022 [File: Johanna Geron/Reuters]

South Africa’s corruption watchdog has stated it should invoke subpoena powers to get solutions from President Cyril Ramaphosa over the alleged concealment of a theft at his luxurious farmhouse.

On Tuesday, the Public Protector’s Workplace stated a deadline for Ramaphosa to reply questions associated to the break-in expired on Monday, after it denied a request for an extension.

“We intend to subpoena the data we require from the president,” watchdog spokesman Oupa Segalwe informed AFP by way of textual content message.

In June, the watchdog opened a probe over potential breaches of the manager ethics code after Ramaphosa was accused of bribing burglars to maintain quiet about a February 2020 heist at his recreation farmhouse, the place it's alleged $4m in money was stolen.

The case, which has piled strain on the president amid heightened tensions throughout the governing African Nationwide Congress (ANC) social gathering, stems from a police report filed by former nationwide spy boss Arthur Fraser final month. In June, he was heckled in parliament by opposition legislators.

Fraser alleged that robbers broke into Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm within the northeast of the nation the place they discovered the money hidden in furnishings.

Ramaphosa hid the heist from police and the tax authorities, Fraser alleged, accusing the pinnacle of state of organising the kidnapping and questioning of the robbers, after which bribing them into silence.

Ramaphosa has acknowledged the housebreaking however has denied the alleged kidnapping and bribery, saying he reported the housebreaking to the police.

He has additionally disputed the sum of money concerned and stated the money got here from authentic gross sales of recreation from his farm.

Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya stated the president’s attorneys have been in communication with the workplace of the general public protector.

 

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