Hawks confirm President Ramaphosa’s ex-bodyguard won’t be prosecuted over Phala Phala

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, has confirmed that the former head of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidential protection unit, Wally Rhoode, will not face prosecution for an alleged cover-up of the Phala Phala robbery.

Millions of rands worth of game proceeds were stolen from the president’s Phala Phala farm in 2020.

The highly publicized burglary almost turned Ramaphosa’s political career on its head – with calls for him to resign for allegedly breaching the ethics codes in the aftermath of the crime.

Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya gave a wrap of the agency’s financial year in Pretoria on Friday, including an update on the Phala Phala case.

Former spy boss Arthur Fraser blew the whistle on the burglary and the alleged misconduct after it.

He claimed Rhoode led a team that unlawfully entered Namibia to pursue suspects believed to have stolen undeclared US dollars at Ramaphosa’s game farm in Limpopo.

Fraser and Rhoode later faced a case of defeating the ends of justice.

Lebeya said the Hawks have declined to prosecute the pair.

“Obviously, the nitty-gritties will be given to the complainant when the complainant is requesting those. But generally, we will say there is not enough evidence on which the prosecution is prepared to take this matter,” said Lebeya.

Libya added that cross-border investigations into the matter are still ongoing.

-EWN

In other news – Ex-House Of Zwide actress Zinhle Ngwenya (Lady Zee) answers her spiritual calling

Well-known South African television actress Zinhle Ngwenya has become a traditional healer. Zinhle, who starred in etv’s House Of Zwide as a prophet, says her calling has been there from a young age. The actress, who is also known as Lady Zee, now spends her time healing the sick.

Speaking to the publication Lady Zee says she hasn’t completely left acting. “It was a matter of accepting my calling, and I had accepted it. Read More

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