South
African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday confirmed a robbery at one
of his properties, but denied claims levelled by a former spy chief that he had
kidnapped and bribed the thieves.
اضافة اعلان
Former intelligence boss Arthur Fraser late Wednesday accused the president
of organising the kidnapping, questioning and bribery of thieves who stole $4
million from his farm north of Johannesburg.
"President Ramaphosa is clear that there is no basis for the claims of
criminal conduct that have been made against him," his office said in a
statement.
But the presidency confirmed that a robbery took place around February 9,
2020, in which money from a wildlife sale was stolen. At the time, Ramaphosa
was attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia.
"On being advised of the robbery, President Ramaphosa reported the
incident to the head of the Presidential Protection Unit of the South African
Police Service for investigation," the statement said.
After a career in intelligence, Fraser became chief of the country's
prisons.
It was he who in September ordered the release on medical parole of former
head of state Jacob Zuma, just two months into a 15-month jail sentence
for contempt following his refusal to testify in a probe into financial
sleaze under his presidency.
Zuma was forced to resign in 2018 after a series of corruption scandals.
He was succeeded by his then deputy, Ramaphosa, who came into office
pledging to fight graft.
But he too has been called in for questioning in the investigation into
alleged looting from state coffers during the Zuma era.
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