A Woodmead car dealership owner who got mixed up in a shady business transaction with alleged gang leader William “king of bling” Mbatha fears for his family’s safety.
The man told the Johannesburg High Court yesterday that Mbatha had bought 10 exotic vehicles totalling millions of rand from Woodmead Auto.
He had allegedly sworn Cassim Mahomed Saber to secrecy one day after walking into his dealership in December 2008 with a stolen R100 000 casino gambling chip he wanted to use as downpayment for a car.
“He said I must not say I got the chip from him,” said Saber. He was now “scared”. Prosecutor Elize le Roux put it to him that he appeared to be “under extreme pressure”.
“I don’t want anything to happen to my family,” he said.
Mbatha had been his trusted client since 2006, buying a number of exotic cars, including a R2.7 million Lamborghini. He had “thought nothing”, therefore, when Mbatha walked into his dealership in December 2008 and presented him with the chip, to use as down-payment for a Smart car.
“Mr Mbatha had a relationship with me, so I did not make anything of the chip. To me, it was proper payment. I used to gamble and I know sometimes when you don’t want to take cash home, you simply take the chip because there are always people watching who cash money,” said Saber.
The chip, allegedly stolen along with another of the same value at a Bedfordview home two days before, was then given to Ruben Sheng, a Carnival City casino worker, who is expected to be called as a witness.
Saber said it never occurred to him that the chip was stolen.
Mbatha, 37, is facing 24 charges, including aggravated robbery and impersonating a police officer.
The trial continues. - The Star