Phala Phala trial: Court to rule over witness who gave contradictory evidence

The Modimolle Regional Court is expected to hand down a ruling on Friday on the trial-within-a-trial in the Phala Phala matter over a witness that gave contradictory evidence.

The State witness, who cannot be named, accused the police of making him sign a statement he didn’t understand.

Imanuwela David and siblings Froliana and Ndilinasho Joseph are accused of breaking into President Cyril Ramaphosa’s game farm in 2020 and making off with $580,000 in cash.

The witness initially gave a statement to police, saying he transported accused number one, David, and two other people from Bela Bela to Kempton Park, a day after the burglary.

In his statement, the witness says he was paid $30,000 dollars in cash.

However, when he took the witness stand in 2025, he contradicted the statement, accusing the police of intimidation and saying he is illiterate and did not understand what he was signing.

The witness said while he did transport accused number one and two other people, he was paid R7,000 and not the $30,000 quoted in the police statement.

Under cross examination by the prosecutor, the witness admitted he had been coming to court using a car belonging to the mother of Froliana and Ndilinasho.

The court will make a ruling on whether the statement he gave to police can be admitted as evidence in the trial.