State witness links one of the accused to US dollars stolen from Phala Phala

Thabiso Goba
3 October 2025 | 10:58A sales manager at a car dealership in Benoni has testified in court that accused number one, Imanuwela David, bought cars at his shop on the 10th of February 2020.
Imanuwela David, along with siblings Floriana and Ndilinasho Joseph, are accused of breaking into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in February 2020 and stealing $580,000 in cash. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN
MODIMOLLE - For the first time in the Phala Phala burglary trial, a State witness has linked one of the accused to the stolen US dollars at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm.
A sales manager at a car dealership in Benoni has testified in court that accused number one, Imanuwela David, bought cars at his shop on the 10th of February 2020.
This was a day after the break-in at the Phala Phala farm, where 580,000 US dollars were stolen.
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The trial is currently being heard at the Modimolle Regional Court in Limpopo.
The sales manager, who cannot be named, said he received a call from work saying there were guys interested in buying cars.
The sales manager testified that accused number one, Imanuwela David, was with two other adult males.
He said David wanted to buy a VW Golf 7 GTI.
"I meet him [David], I gave him the price of the car. He asked do I accept foreign currency dollars and I phoned my director of the company and I asked him if we accept dollars and he said, yes, we do accept any currency and he will be there shortly."
The sales manager said that David later returned to the dealership to buy more cars, using US dollars.
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