Politics

South African parliament grills President Ramaphosa over bribery, theft allegations

Published

3 years ago

June 10, 2022

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was on Thursday, grilled for hours by opposition politicians in Parliament over an allegation of bribery, kidnapping and theft at his Phala Phala Farm.

The opposition politicians led by Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), have insisted that Ramaphosa should step down from office pending a criminal investigation into allegations that he covered up the theft from his rural game farm.

The allegations were contained in a legal complaint filed by a former head of the South African intelligence agency, Arthur Fraser, who accused Ramaphosa of “kidnapping and bribing robbers who stole millions of dollars from one of his properties” in a bid to “conceal the crime from the South African police service and the South African revenue service.”

Fraser had alleged that the robbers had stolen $4 million from the President’s ranch in the northern Limpopo province in 2020 but the theft was not reported, which is a crime on it’s own, with opposition politicians calling for Ramaphosa’s removal from office.

Ramaphosa later confirmed the burglary but said the stolen cash was from the sale game animals on his farm. The President also denied not reporting the theft as he said that he reported it to the head of his personal protection unit but not to the police.

The scandal is seen as a major blow to Ramaphosa’s image as a leader who rode into power on the promise of stamping out corruption in South Africa.

The Economic Freedom Fighters, the second-largest opposition party in Parliament, says it has briefed its lawyers to launch legal proceedings to force Ramaphosa to step down pending the criminal investigation, while another opposition party, the United Democratic Movement, says it has formally requested Parliament to launch its own probe into the matter and for Ramaphosa to appear before it.

Some of the questions Ramaphosa was asked included “how much money in U.S. dollars was stolen from his farm? Where did the money come from? Was the foreign exchange declared to the South African Revenue Service?”

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.