Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has supplied extra readability on South Africa’s correspondence with Namibia in relation to the Phala Phala farm theft scandal.
Government was underneath hearth as nicely after it emerged final month that Namibian authorities had made contact with their South African authorities concerning the $4 million theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm in Limpopo.
The theft, which came about in February 2020, got here into the public mild after former State Security Agency (SSA) director-general Arthur Fraser laid prison costs in opposition to Ramaphosa for the crime not being reported to the South African Police Service (Saps).
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At the time, Fraser alleged that, amongst different issues, the South African police was concerned in the alleged cover-up of the theft.
This was additional excaberated when the Namibian Police Force (Nampol) revealed that they met with the South African police at “no man’s land” on 19 June 2020 following the arrest of lmanuwela David, who’s one among the suspects linked to the theft.
Letter
David, who was present in possession of 1,100 US {dollars} – amongst different issues, was arrested after coming into Namibia illegally on 13 June.
He, nonetheless, returned to South Africa in November after paying a high-quality for unlawfully coming into Namibia.
According to Nampol Inspector-General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, Namibian authorities had made a proper request, through letter, to Lamola’s workplace, asking affirmation of the alleged theft at Ramaphosa’s farm.
The letter – dated 23 July 2020 – was allegedly marked for the consideration of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), City Press beforehand reported.
Mutual authorized help
While Lamola initially denied receiving the letter, he mentioned throughout a media briefing on Monday that it was “not correct” that the South African authorities didn’t talk with the Namibian authorities.
“The request which the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development acquired was not particularly in relation to Mr David Immanuwela solely as intimated by our sister nation’s police drive.
“It is just not right that there was no response from South Africa on the requested mutual authorized help [MLA] in the case involving Mr David.
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“The Central Authority of the Republic of South Africa has transmitted correspondence through the diplomatic channels to set the record straight with the Namibian authorities,” the minister mentioned.
Lamola defined that the Namibian authorities’ request had been referred to the NPA’s Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU) to make sure that the correspondence didn’t contain overseas bribery.
The SCCU, nonetheless, couldn’t instantly course of it because it required further info from Namibian authorities.
Lamola mentioned since 1 September 2021, the authorities in Namibia haven’t despatched an amended request again to South Africa after Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) had reached out to them.
“The Chief Directorate: International Legal Relations was previously requested to confirm whether a request for mutual legal assistance relating to Mr David Imanuwela had been received from the authorities in Namibia,” he mentioned.
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“The request couldn’t be situated, as the file was opened underneath a unique identify. The request associated to an investigation of docket Noordoewer CR 14/06/2020, by which Mr David was one among three suspects.
“The other two suspects are Messrs Petrus Afrikaner and Erkki Shikango,” Lamola added.
The minister, due to this fact, indicated they have been nonetheless ready for amended request, additional saying he was in the darkish about the Phala Phala matter.
‘Not in order’
Meanwhile, Department of Justice, director-general Doctor Mashabane additionally commented on the matter saying the Namibian authorities’s request for MLA was “not in order”.
Mashabane mentioned this was the motive why Lamola was not conscious of developments in the saga.
“The minister ordinarily would not know about the request until such a time that the Central Authority is satisfied that the request is in order and meets the requirements then we will process an internal memorandum. Without that then the minister will not know anything about that process,” he mentioned.
He additional mentioned “the same will apply” to National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi as she’s going to solely get to info on the matter “once documents are finalised”.
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Mashabane added that the division wished to place it on document that the matter was not with South African authorities as a press release by the Namibian authorities claimed.
“It is not true that the matter is sitting with us because wrote back raising the matters and we even reminded [about it],” he concluded.
Batohi mentioned the NPA was at present not concerned in the Phala Phala investigation, as it’s being dealt with by the Hawks.
“We will deal with the matter as appropriate with at the time, but just to say this matter will be dealt with like any other matter,” she mentioned.
The Hawks acquired the docket into the theft from Saps in June and has already met with Fraser to present extra particulars about the theft.