Cops burst Lamba's Moet bubble

Mandla Lamba. Picture:Facebook

Mandla Lamba. Picture:Facebook

Published May 14, 2011

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On Monday, the day before he was arrested, South Africa’s young BEE Houdini, Mandla Lamba, lay back comfortably on his bed.

He bragged about his freedom on Facebook as he posted pictures of himself swigging from a bottle of Moët & Chandon Champagne worth R600 to R1 000 a bottle.

Later, Lamba told friends on the site: “For the first time, I am walking to the mall in 3 years… no bodyguards… walking all alone… wow.”

At the time the man, who police had been looking for for more than two years in connection with a case of culpable homicide, disclosed that he was at the Rosebank mall.

His web musings were muzzled on Tuesday when the police pounced on him at Nelson Mandela Square after a tip-off.

Now, more people could be baying for his blood.

It is believed the self-proclaimed “billionaire” defrauded several taxi owners under the pretence that he would buy them vehicles provided they deposited R40 000 into his account. It’s further believed that he owes a security company R45 000 for bodyguards.

Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said Lamba would remain in police custody for the weekend and that any one he had defrauded could still come forward.

“No further complaints have been lodged with us since he was arrested,” Dlamini said.

He said it was unlikely that Lamba would be granted bail when he appears in the Orlando Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday as he has other warrants of arrest pending against him.

Celebrity lawyer Zola Majavu said earlier this week that he wanted R120 000 for services he rendered to Lamba when Lamba was falsely arrested alongside six other people for a robbery at NWJ Jewellers in Northgate in October.

Majavu also lodged a lawsuit of R14 million against the police on Lamba’s behalf.

Majavu said he had cut all contact with Lamba, including the lawsuit against police.

“I can’t pursue the matter further as I have not had instructions from my client to do so. I have also notified minister Nathi Mthethwa that I will no longer be acting in this case.”

Majavu said he would not waste his time to see Lamba.

The culpable homicide charge against Lamba relates to a 2007 Roodepoort car crash in which Wayne Greeff and his son Brandon, 8, were killed,

Police claim Lamba absconded while criminal proceedings for culpable homicide were being finalised in 2008.

The police have also not been able to explain why Lamba was arrested only this week when he had challenged the police to arrest him during press interviews.

“He was a wanted man all along. We just didn’t know where he was,” Dlamini said.

Meanwhile, Africa Compass Investments (ACI) deputy president Phumla Mayekiso said Lamba had fulfilled his role at the company.

Several weeks ago Mayekiso commended Lamba for helping ACI facilitate a working relationship with international company Equity Partner’s Fund SPC, which also threw its weight behind Lamba.

It is still unclear whether Lamba is the owner of East American Resources which he claimed was worth billions.

Attempts to contact the company were futile. - Saturday Star

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