Musician in dock for stolen Porsche

Lucky Shabangu - Nonhlanhla Shabangu - AMAWELE uLucky noNonhlanhla Shabangu beecula emcimbini wokuthembisa uTofo Goge

Lucky Shabangu - Nonhlanhla Shabangu - AMAWELE uLucky noNonhlanhla Shabangu beecula emcimbini wokuthembisa uTofo Goge

Published May 26, 2015

Share

Cape Town - A South African musician appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday in connection with the theft of a Porsche.

Lucky Shabangu, from the 1990s R&B boy band Twins, who was well known for the hit Shona Phansi, was arrested and charged in connection with the theft of the luxury car, worth almost R1 million, in the city.

The 39-year-old briefly appeared in court with co-accused, 35-year-old Thobani Pascal Makuzeni.

Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said the pair were arrested on Friday after allegedly being found in possession of the stolen vehicle. They were remanded.

The court heard that their fingerprints had been sent for testing to verify details of their previous convictions.

Shabangu had supplied an address in Hyde Park, Joburg, where he lives with his wife and children and which the State had yet to verify.

Makuzeni had initially provided an address in Albert Road, Woodstock, but when investigators sought to confirm his residence they discovered it was his workplace.

He then provided a second address in Table View where he lived.

It emerged in court that Shabangu was also being sought in a theft case registered at Sea Point Police Station.

The State asked that the matter be postponed for seven days in order for them to obtain more information.

But the pair’s attorney, André Johnston, opposed the postponement, arguing that investigators had sufficient time since the arrest to gather information.

He added that a telephone call to Sea Point police station would have confirmed details regarding the Sea Point theft case.

“This seven-day postponement is abused by the State in most instances,” Johnston argued.

He said Makuzeni had no previous convictions, no pending cases and no outstanding warrants of arrest, while Shabangu had one previous conviction related to 2009.

“That information is actually available on the internet,” he said, adding that he had no pending matters and no outstanding warrants of arrest.

However, the State said an initial search on his personal details revealed that Shabangu had been arrested at least 19 times, and had six previous convictions.

Prosecutors said the fingerprints would assist in confirming his previous convictions.

Shabangu was a musician from a popular group called Twins, which earned two Samas, the court heard.

Johnston wanted to hand in affidavits signed by his clients, and challenged the State to refute the information “considering that they had three days to get the information”.

It also emerged that Makuzeni was found in possession of the Porsche, which had been reported stolen last year.

“The SAPS were provided with an alibi,” argued Johnston, “how do you steal a Porsche in this time of technology? This is different from finding someone with a hot-wired car, wandering around.”

The State said investigators were viewing video footage allegedly involving Shabangu in relation to the Sea Point case.

Acting magistrate Grant Engel questioned why Makuzeni could not be granted bail. The State said they wanted to verify with Home Affairs whether or not he was a South African citizen.

But Johnston argued: “This is unnecessary. They (the State) have the information, they’re basically on a fishing expedition now – don’t let them trample on the accused’s rights. Don’t let them trample on our democracy.”

Engel said that the court was unable to make a decision regarding bail with the information received, and granted a postponement.

 

Sources have told the Cape Argus that Shabangu was well-connected and was known for name-dropping.

He has been pictured with, among others, President Jacob Zuma, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and other cabinet ministers. The Cape Argus is also in possession of correspondence in which Shabangu purports to be the son of a former minister of police.

Shabangu and Makuzeni were expected back in court on Friday.

‘Market for stolen luxury vehicles’

There is a market for stolen luxury vehicles in Cape Town, and police sources on Monday spoke about the existence of a syndicate to service this demand.

High ranking police officials claimed the major banks knew about it but have kept quiet, too embarrassed to admit that they have been defrauded out of millions.

The syndicate was believed to be headed by a Cape Town businessman with close links to murdered underworld boss Cyril Beeka. It included an Eastern Cape businessman as well as a former metro cop who was believed to have fled to Maseru.

The syndicate’s modus operandi was to prey on people who had no money but had a clean credit record.

“These poor sods are called ‘jockeys’ and they make these guys look big and strong financially. Meanwhile, they are nobodies with nothing to their names. They get innocent people with a clear credit record, pump their bank accounts full of money, build up their bank balance and buy all these exotic cars in their names – Porches; Ferraris, Range Rovers,” said the source.

The dealerships involved in the scam then increased the asking price for the vehicle to include a R100 000 kickback, which was received once the bank finance was secured.

“All the while these poor okes whose names and IDs are being used have no idea what they are getting themselves into,” said the source, adding the banks were losing between R50 million and R60m in fraudulent car deals every three months. It’s an epidemic and the banks have no idea how to stop it.”

Intelligence sources said the syndicate used fraudulent licence documents with the authentic water mark – believed to have been stolen in Limpopo – to print fraudulent car registration papers.

“They have their own printing machine for the licence papers and they sell the cars like that.”

Cape Argus

Related Topics: