South African president cleared of wrongdoing in scandal over $580,000 in cash stolen from his farm

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been cleared of wrongdoing by a public watchdog over a scandal involving the theft of more than half a million dollars in U.S. currency that had been stashed in a sofa at his farm. Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka said Friday that Ramaphosa did not violate the ethics code for members of South Africa’s executive over the incident, which happened in 2020 but only came to light last year. The scandal had been seen as the biggest challenge to Ramaphosa’s reputation and his leadership of Africa’s most developed economy.