South African President cleared in $580K couch cash case after 2-yr probe

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa might per chance well well not face criminal prices over a hidden cash scandal that was published larger than two years ago and led to an investigation by a special police unit, prosecutors mentioned Thursday.

A frail nationwide security chief laid a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa in June 2022, accusing him of kidnapping, bribery and other crimes in relation to the theft of $580,000 in U.S. banknotes that was stashed in a couch on the president’s ranch.

The frail security boss, Arthur Fraser, alleged that Ramaphosa had been keeping the cash hidden in furniture at his ranch to evade South Africa’s international exchange licensed guidelines when it was stolen.

Instead of reporting the theft, Ramaphosa tried to duvet it up by having members of his presidential safety unit video display down the thieves, kidnap them after which bribe them to encourage quiet concerning the existence of the cash, Fraser mentioned in the affidavit filed with police.

The theft took express at Ramaphosa’s sport farm in rural northern South Africa in early 2020 and had been kept quiet until Fraser’s allegations. It compelled Ramaphosa to admit the theft took express and threw his presidency into turmoil sooner than a a really mighty social gathering leadership vote.

He survived the scandal and was reelected as South African chief this June, while the criminal investigation had been ongoing. Ramaphosa, 71, was additionally accused of cash laundering, tax evasion and breaching international exchange licensed guidelines over the cash.

He denied wrongdoing and mentioned the cash came from the decent sale of buffaloes at his Phala Phala sport farm.

Ramaphosa mentioned he reported the theft to the pinnacle of his police safety unit, though he didn’t explain why the cash was hidden in the couch.

Prosecutors mentioned in a statement that the resolution to not bring any prices against Ramaphosa or somebody on his security detail came after “a total investigation assignment.”

The scandal, at instances continuously known as “farmgate” in South Africa, led to opposition parties bringing an impeachment motion against Ramaphosa in Parliament. His African Nationwide Congress social gathering archaic its majority to dam the motion in unhurried 2022, while the reserve financial institution and an independent watchdog additionally cleared Ramaphosa.

Two men and a lady, one in all whom was reportedly a worker at Ramaphosa’s farm, were arrested remaining yr and charged with breaking and entering and theft.

The allegations against Ramaphosa were seen by some to be politically motivated, with Fraser a shut ally of frail South African President Jacob Zuma. Zuma stepped down in 2018 while facing allegations of corruption and was replaced by Ramaphosa, who was his vp. Zuma and Ramaphosa have since turn into fierce political foes.