Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola said on Tuesday that no official request for mutual legal assistance was made by Namibia in the Phala Phala farm theft saga.

Last week, the Namibian Police Force said it had put in a formal request through South Africa’s Ministry of Justice to confirm whether a crime was registered in South Africa in relation to the theft.

The alleged theft of foreign currency from a farm owned by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 has been dubbed the Phala Phala theft.

Former spy boss Arthur Fraser has since opened a case against Ramaphosa for failing to report the theft, thereby, allegedly breaching the code of ethics. Fraser has given the Hawks additional information to solidify the case.

Lamola outlined that any country requesting mutual legal assistance must make a submission at its own embassy or the South African Embassy or High Commission in that particular country.

The request will make its way to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, which will provide proof of receipt and transmit the request to the Central Authority.

“South Africa and its sister republic, Namibia, continue to work together in a collaborative manner on issues of mutual legal assistance in accordance with the Southern African Development Community Protocol and other related bilateral treaties. So far there has not been any development that necessitates any change of approach when dealing with matters of this nature,” Lamola stated.