Phala Phala trial postponed due to interpreter’s inaccuracy claims

The trial-within-a-trial into the theft of $580 000 at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, has been postponed to Wednesday this week at the Modimolle Regional Court.

The postponement came after the accused informed the court that the Oshiwambo interpreter was not accurately interpreting all the information.

The trial-within-a-trial was declared to examine the evidence of another state witness who told the court that he did not depose a written statement but was ordered to sign one by the police.

Accused number one Immanuela David and siblings accused number two and three Floriana David and Ndilinasho Joseph are on trial for the February 2020 break-in and theft at the farm.

Limpopo National Prosecuting authority (NPA) Spokesperson Mashudu Malabi  says, “So far we’ve started with a trial-within-a trial in order to determine whether the witness will be truthful to what he gave to police or to proof whether he will be declared hostile.”

VIDEO | Fourth state witness appears in Phala Phala theft trial: