In a startling twist to the ongoing Phala Phala farm burglary case, the primary accused, Imanuwela David, has asserted that he was targeted and shot at twice by individuals posing as law enforcement officers. This revelation came during his bail application hearing at the Bela Bela Magistrates Court in Limpopo.
Imanuwela David, accused number one in the Phala Phala burglary matter, detailed the alleged incident to investigating officer Ludi Schnelle. According to David, in 2022, while attempting to leave the country for fear of his safety, he was awakened at a hotel in Richards Bay by individuals claiming to be police. These assailants, purportedly seeking the money stolen from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm, reportedly shot David twice in the back as he made a daring escape through a second-floor bathroom window.
Schnelle, providing testimony on Thursday, recounted David’s harrowing account: “At 02h00, he was woken up by people claiming to be police banging on the door. They started kicking the door when he immediately grabbed his small bags and belongings and jumped out of a second-floor bathroom window. While he was jumping, he was shot by these people twice in his back. The applicant managed to evade these people.”
In addition to the alleged shooting incident, David claimed to have been kidnapped three times and subjected to torture by individuals posing as law enforcement officers. These incidents reportedly occurred after the high-profile burglary at President Ramaphosa’s game farm.
According to Schnelle, David expressed a desire to flee the country to Tanzania following the burglary, fearing for his safety. “According to the applicant, he was kidnapped on three occasions, tortured, and thrown into a river all the while being questioned either by legitimate police officials, thugs impersonating police officials or regular gangsters, all in an attempt to rob him of money that they suspected he had stolen from Phala Phala.”
These shocking revelations add a layer of complexity to the already intricate Phala Phala burglary case, raising questions about the motivations behind the alleged attacks on the accused and the potential impact on the ongoing legal proceedings.