President Cyril Ramaphosa’s top security executive Wally Rhoode could face disciplinary action related to the Phala Phala farm heist.
Public protector Koleka Gcaleka has instructed national police commissioner Fannie Masemola to take action against Rhoode over his handling of the Phala Phala investigation after robbers made off with an undisclosed amount of cash, alleged by former spy boss Arthur Fraser to be more than $4m (about R75m).
Rhoode, who was also recently accused by opposition parties of flouting security protocols when a chartered plane carrying ammunition and a group of journalists was grounded in Poland and caused a diplomatic stand-off, is now facing further woes.
On Friday, Gcaleka said in her report that Rhoode and Sgt Hlulani Rekhoto, a member of the presidential protection services (PPS), neglected to ensure that a case docket was opened, despite knowing of the break-in at the president’s private residence at Phala Phala in Limpopo and the theft of cash.
“Accordingly, the public protector concludes that the investigation of housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft, by Rhoode and Rekhoto, was inconsistent with the SAPS Act and incidental prescripts as outlined above,” said the report.
Though Rhoode insists he was only conducting a preliminary investigation on the security breach to establish a threat to the president’s safety, on instruction of the late Gen Sindile Mfazi, the then head of the police’s crime detection service, his contention was not supported by the evidence at hand.
“The report compiled by Rekhoto at the instruction of Rhoode in this regard indicates that the investigation focused on the crime of housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft, rather than the threat to the president’s safety,” said Gcaleka.
She found that Rhoode and Rekhoto acted improperly by investigating the crime of housebreaking with the intent to steal and theft, which took place on or about February 9 2020 at Phala Phala farm, without a registered case docket.
Source: https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/live-public-protector-expected-to-release-reports-on-recent-investigations-including-phala-phala-20230630-2
https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2023-07-02-wally-rhoode-to-be-disciplined-over-improper-phala-phala-theft-probe/
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