File Picture: Arthur Fraser Picture: African News Agency (ANA) Archives
MORE than two weeks after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid criminal charges against President Cyril Ramaphosa for allegedly not reporting a theft of $4 million dollars from his Phala Phala farm in February 2020 and for trying to cover it up, there are crucial questions that remain unanswered.
Ramaphosa has admitted that the robbery occurred at his farm and has denied any wrongdoing but he has failed to answer any relevant questions about the crime, some of which are listed below:
1.Why was the president in possession of such a large amount of foreign currency and how much are we talking about? (Reports give the amount from anything between $4 million and $8m.
In the midst of the scandal, governor of the reserve bank, Lesetja Kganyago and SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter have been asked to investigate the possibility that the president has broken a number of the country’s laws as a result of the claims.
Kganyago has been asked if any declarations or documentation had been submitted in relation to foreign currency transactions at Phala Phala and whether the reserve bank has any knowledge of this. Kieswetter has been asked about SARS’s knowledge about these funds, declarations made in respect of this cash and whether tax had been paid in respect of such transactions.
2. Why was the crime allegedly not reported to police and to what extent were state resources used in the alleged subsequent cover-up?
Fraser opened a criminal case against Ramaphosa and his head of the Presidential Protection Unit, Wally Rhoode, for allegedly kidnapping and torturing five men to reveal where they had stashed their loot.
Fraser alleges, in his affidavit that after the five men made their confessions and some of the stolen goods were recovered, Rhoode instructed Ramaphosa to pay them off to buy their silence.
3. Did Ramaphosa coerce Namibian President Hage Geingob to help him find the Namibian suspects in the crime?
Fraser claims that Ramaphosa sought the help of President Geingob in apprehending the suspect in Namibia.
Geingob’s spokesperson Alfredo Hengari has reportedly said he can’t comment on allegations that his president helped Ramaphosa to kidnap and torture Namibian citizens, as is alleged in Fraser’s affidavit.
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