Africa-Press – South-Africa. A man mentioned in former spy boss Arthur Fraser’s bombshell affidavit on the Phala Phala robbery, appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on Friday on unrelated firearms possession charges.
At Urbanus Shaumbwako’s last appearance, one of his lawyers, Reon Heckrath, raised alarming allegations his cellphone had been pinged and he was taken out of his holding cell by the Hawks to be asked questions about the Phala Phala controversy, without being charged, or his lawyers being present.
However, on Friday, the buffalo in the room was not mentioned even once, as the case was postponed for his lawyers to get further details on the gun charges from the State.
Magistrate Vanya Botha also heard there was still some way to go before everybody was ready for the trial dates in November and December, instead of being trial ready as certified.
Shaumbwako was arrested after a roadblock in Table View in October 2020, allegedly with a bag containing firearms, and has been in custody ever since.
Phala Phala: Ramaphosa denies money laundering allegations, says it was proceeds of game sale
At his last appearance on 1 September, it was thought there would be a plea agreement on the firearms charges.
Things quickly turned when Heckrath made the startling allegation a Hawks officer asked him on 27 June to go through Fraser’s affidavit on Phala Phala and point out what was incorrect.
He said two weeks after that, he told the investigating officer he was in Cape Town, and they asked him to bring his client in for a statement regarding Phala Phala.
The officer allegedly told him he did not have to sign it.
Heckrath refused this proposal.
The Hawks strenuously denied this at the time.
On the sidelines of the firearms case on Friday, Heckrath reiterated his client was not charged with robbery and would not be commenting on anything regarding the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm.
However, he said, although there had been no further mention of Phala Phala to his client, there were some low-key unsettling events in prison.
Heckrath added Shaumbwako had been “profiled” for a second time, something, he added, usually happened when people were first taken into custody. He is also randomly searched.
Shaumbwako is understood to be Namibian and gave his home address at a well-known sprawling security estate in Table View.
In June, Fraser reported a kidnapping and money laundering case against Ramaphosa, Presidential Protection Unit head Major-General Wally Rhoode, and Crime Intelligence members for allegedly concealing and not officially reporting a burglary at Ramaphosa’s farm in February 2020.
Fraser named Imanuwela David, Errki Shikongo, Petrus Muhekeni, Shaumbwako and Petrus Afrikaner as the alleged perpetrators of the heist.
He also alleged people suspected of being involved were questioned in an off-book operation.
Meanwhile, with no mention at all at this court appearance of the Phala Phala mystery, the court was told the State needed more time to deal with a request for further particulars.
It heard the control prosecutor informed his legal team they had filed the request in the incorrect format, and it had to be done again. The prosecutor had also been changed.
The case was postponed to 9 November for further particulars application.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa was asked in Parliament why there was no police case number, given he was robbed of a large amount of money.
“Processes will unfold,” he said, mysteriously.
Ramaphosa insisted the money was from the sale of game.
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