Phala Phala Trial Erupts as Witness Claims Police Forced Him to Lie

Shock in Court as Witness Turns on the State

The Phala Phala farm robbery trial, already one of South Africa’s most politically charged legal battles, took a dramatic turn this week when a key state witness effectively torpedoed the prosecution’s own case.

The witness, whose identity is protected by court order, stunned the Modimolle Regional Court when he disowned the very statement prosecutors were relying on, insisting:

“This is not my statement.”

He claimed investigators had intimidated him into signing something he didn’t agree with. Instead of the US$30,000 he was alleged to have received for transporting suspects in the 2020 burglary at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm, he said he was only paid R7,000.

And just like that, the courtroom descended into chaos.

From Star Witness to ‘Hostile’ in Minutes

State prosecutor Nkhetheni Munyai quickly applied to have the witness declared hostile a rare move signalling that the prosecution now views its own witness as unreliable, even obstructive.

Defence lawyers pushed back, but Magistrate Peter Manthate allowed it under Section 190 of the Criminal Procedure Act, meaning the state could cross-examine their own witness as though he belonged to the defence.

It’s a high-stakes gamble: if the witness remains defiant, the entire state case risks collapsing.

The Bigger Picture: A Trial Under Political Spotlight

This isn’t just another burglary case.

The February 2020 incident, where US$580,000 was allegedly stolen from furniture at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm, ignited national outrage and international headlines.

Why was so much cash allegedly hidden in couches?
Why wasn’t it reported promptly?
And who’s telling the truth, the accused, the investigators, or nobody at all?

The three accused, Immanuwela David and siblings Froliana and Ndilinasho Joseph, face housebreaking, theft and money laundering charges. But now, with a witness rejecting his own words on record, the case has gone from controversial to chaotic.

Witness Intimidation or Strategic Backtracking?

South Africans watching this case unfold are split.

Some believe the witness was pressured by authorities to inflate his statement. Others suspect he may now be protecting the accused, perhaps even coached or bribed to backtrack.

Either way, someone is lying and the state will have to untangle it fast.

What Happens Next?

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the trial will continue through to 8 October 2025, with proceedings resuming this Friday.

But make no mistake, this hostile witness moment is more than courtroom drama. It’s a test of South Africa’s criminal justice credibility in a case where politics, money and power are tightly intertwined.

And right now, the state appears to be on the back foot.

If a witness can’t even stand by his own statement, how many more surprises lie ahead for the Phala Phala trial?

{Source: IOL}

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