Two of the three accused in the Phala Phala game farm theft have been found guilty by the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo of stealing more than $580 000 at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm in February 2020.
Magistrate Peter Manthata says cellphone records provided sufficient evidence linking Imanuwela David and Floriana Joseph to the crime.
The third accused, Ndilinasho Joseph, has been acquitted of all charges against him.
The matter has been postponed to the 13th of November 2026 for sentencing.
Manthata says the state successfully proved its case against the two accused beyond reasonable doubt.
“Considering the evidence in its totality, the only inference I can draw under the circumstances is that the communication between the accused one and two was about the dollar hidden under the couch at the house in the Phala Phala farm. I therefore, find that the two conspired about the breaking in and a stealing of the money in the said house.”
Earlier, the court said that evidence suggests that David allegedly used part of the money stolen from the farm to buy his girlfriend a vehicle and an apartment.
Magistrate Manthata says David later repossessed the vehicle from his former girlfriend after their relationship ended.
“The accused bought her a Mercedes Benz C200 2016 model worth about R500 000. He gave her R100 000 for the deposit of an apartment…she ultimately purchased the apartment. Their relationship broke in 2021, and the accused asked her to hand back the car and she handed it back. There was no cross examination.”
-Report by Vutivi Maluleke