Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Hawks’ criminal investigation related to Phala Phala is ongoing – and investigators are collecting statements to build a docket.
Hawks boss General Godfrey Lebeya gave a brief update on the investigation involving President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo during a media briefing on Friday.
Lebeya said 126 statements had been collected by investigators.
The former director-general at the State Security Agency, Arthur Fraser, opened a kidnapping and money laundering case against Ramaphosa, the Presidential Protection Unit head, Major-General Wally Rhoode, and Crime Intelligence members for allegedly concealing a burglary at Phala Phala in February 2020.
According to Fraser’s affidavit, money was stashed in a couch at the game farm, and he claimed the president played a part in a cover-up following an allegedly illegal investigation into the matter.
News24 reported that burglars stole an estimated $600 000 in cash from Ramaphosa’s farmhouse – far less than the millions of dollars initially speculated to have been taken.
In addition to the criminal investigation, the Phala Phala matter was the subject of a parliamentary-appointed independent Section 89 panel, which released a report that found prima facie evidence that Ramaphosa may have breached anti-corruption laws.
Eskom and De Ruyter
Lebeya was questioned as to whether the Hawks were investigating corruption claims made by former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter.
In February, in an interview with e.tv’s Annika Larsen, De Ruyter made allegations of brazen corruption, law enforcement ineptitude, and politicians’ complicity in the destruction of the parastatal.
Lebeya told journalists the Hawks had not received a complaint about corruption at Eskom, referring to the allegations by De Ruyter.
He said the Hawks had engaged with De Ruyter about a case of attempted murder after the former CEO was allegedly poisoned in December 2022.
News24 reported that De Ruyter briefed the national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, on allegations of corruption at Eskom regarding syndicates operating in Mpumalanga and the alleged involvement of two senior ANC government officials.
Masemola acted on the information and tasked a senior police official, with decades of investigative experience, whose name is known to News24, to investigate the matters raised by De Ruyter.
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