'King of Bling' is on trial for a series of armed robberies in which he is alleged to have passed himself off as a cop before robbing his victims
A FORENSIC cellphone analyst was called in to testify in the William "King of Bling" trial on Friday, detailing repeated calls made from a cellphone allegedly belonging to Mbatha before Johannesburg businessmen were robbed.
Johanna Petronella Heineke, a Vodacom forensic liaison manager, told the high court that several phone calls were made in and around Oriental Plaza, where Vijay Ghanshamdas owned a jewellery shop.
Ghanshamdas, owner of Custom Jewellery, was robbed of R100,000 in cash and valuables on March 16 when he entered his home in Kensington, east of Johannesburg.
The following month another businessman, Mantsie Mojapelo, was robbed of his R600,000 Mercedes-Benz, R40,000 in cash, two cellphones worth R15,000 and new clothing.
"The phone calls were made from a prepaid number," Heineke said.
She could not say to whom the cell number belonged.
"I hope the new cellphone law (RICA) will help us, because most perpetrators of crime use prepaid numbers to commit crimes," she said.
Mbatha is on trial for a series of armed robberies in which he is alleged to have passed himself off as a cop before robbing his victims. The trial continues.
Cellphone calls linked to Mbatha
'King of Bling' is on trial for a series of armed robberies in which he is alleged to have passed himself off as a cop before robbing his victims
A FORENSIC cellphone analyst was called in to testify in the William "King of Bling" trial on Friday, detailing repeated calls made from a cellphone allegedly belonging to Mbatha before Johannesburg businessmen were robbed.
Johanna Petronella Heineke, a Vodacom forensic liaison manager, told the high court that several phone calls were made in and around Oriental Plaza, where Vijay Ghanshamdas owned a jewellery shop.
Ghanshamdas, owner of Custom Jewellery, was robbed of R100,000 in cash and valuables on March 16 when he entered his home in Kensington, east of Johannesburg.
The following month another businessman, Mantsie Mojapelo, was robbed of his R600,000 Mercedes-Benz, R40,000 in cash, two cellphones worth R15,000 and new clothing.
"The phone calls were made from a prepaid number," Heineke said.
She could not say to whom the cell number belonged.
"I hope the new cellphone law (RICA) will help us, because most perpetrators of crime use prepaid numbers to commit crimes," she said.
Mbatha is on trial for a series of armed robberies in which he is alleged to have passed himself off as a cop before robbing his victims. The trial continues.
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