South African prosecutors say they will not bring criminal charges against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the controversial farm theft scandal that nearly brought down the president two years ago.
A former spy chief has launched a criminal complaint against Ramaphosa, accusing him of irregularities when he tried to conceal the theft of $4m (£3.25m) in cash from his hunting farm in north-eastern Limpopo province.
The president denies any wrongdoing and says the money stolen from his couch in 2020 came from the legal sale of buffalo at his Phala Phala farm.
Prosecutors said it had decided not to lay any charges against Ramaphosa or anyone else following a “comprehensive investigative process”.
Ramaphosa survived the so-called “Farmgate” scandal and was re-elected president in June, albeit after being forced to form a coalition government while criminal investigations were ongoing.
In 2022, his African National Congress (ANC) used its majority to block an impeachment motion against him over the scandal.
Last year, the anti-corruption watchdog cleared Ramaphosa amid calls for him to resign.
Arthur Fraser, who headed the national security apparatus from 2016 to 2018, claimed that Ramaphosa hid the farm thefts from police and tax authorities and instead organized kidnappings and interrogations of the robbers in an attempt to They shut up.
The president has also been charged with money laundering, tax evasion and violating foreign exchange laws on U.S. dollar cash.
Ramaphosa admitted the theft but denied criminal charges, saying he had reported the break-in to police.
He also disputed the amounts involved and said the money came from the legal sale of game at his animal farm.
The highly publicized burglary threw Ramaphosa’s government into chaos ahead of a crucial party leadership vote.
But the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Thursday that an investigation into the matter had found insufficient evidence of corruption and money laundering.
Limpopo Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions Ivey Tenga said in a statement that the decision not to prosecute Ramaphosa followed a “careful assessment” of all available evidence provided to prosecutors by the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI). out.
NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said: “The available evidence provided to prosecutors does not support any of the charges.”
The investigation also covers any possible violations of income tax and exchange control regulations, prosecutors added.
The case against three people accused of breaking into Ramaphosa’s farm will continue next month.
They appeared in the Limpopo Provincial Court earlier this week on charges including money laundering and burglary.
