Mbatha, 38, is serving 35 years in prison for a litany of crimes, including robbery with aggravating circumstances, kidnapping, possession of firearms and ammunition, posing as a police officer and unlawfully wearing a police uniform.

On Friday, Mbatha once again appeared at the Germiston Magistrate's Court to face other charges of robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and car theft.

True to form and style, the "King of Bling" showed up dressed in a branded tracksuit and looked stylish. But one of the police officers close to the case was not impressed and insisted that he should be treated as a convict.

"The man is a criminal and he is being treated like a celebrity. He should be wearing prison uniform, not his own clothes," said the policeman.

The Department of Correctional Services said there was nothing wrong with dressing up in his own fashionable clothes.

Department spokesman Phumlani Ximiya said the department's policy was that trialists should not wear orange prison uniform when they were going to appear in court.

" The departmental policy is that all offenders will not appear in court in offender uniform," Ximiya said.

He said there was release uniform for poor prisoners who could not afford decent clothing in order to protect their dignity.

The only time an offender could wear prison uniform is if a request has been sent to court, Ximiya added.

"If perhaps he is a flight risk or has attempted to escape before."

The spokesman said prisoners could only change into their civilian clothes while they were still in prison and going to court.

Outside the Germiston Magistrate's Court onlookers watched as Mbatha was put in a police vehicle and returned to the Johannesburg prison.

There was a heavy police presence and Queen Street, leading to the court, was cordoned off. Motorists were ordered to use alternative routes.

Since Mbatha's incarceration last month, the state has since attached his three Harley-Davidson motorbikes, a house worth R2.4-million and furniture worth more than R2-million.

Mbatha's next appearance will be on June 6 at the Germiston Magistrate's Court.

Comments

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Sun May 19 15:09:39 SAST 2013 ::

May 7, 2012

rasefatee

hahahaha hotel like prison
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May 7, 2012

ntebo

LOL, I just love South Africa,
Did Jackie selebi wear prison Uniform?
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May 7, 2012

ntebo

PIc 1
look at the way he's being escoted to prison ,they look like his bodyguards
ONLY IN SA
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May 7, 2012

SPACEMAN

4eva stylish our king even behind bars u should also order orange LV prison wear long live THE KING
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May 7, 2012

Papage

Just add, he spent every night with his woman in prison.
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May 7, 2012

BaleliM

Well Shabir Shaik did it and no one seemed to have said anything. show me a photo of Shabir in prison clothes, i beg!
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May 7, 2012

RobinH

Let's face it, MONEY TALKS LOUDER IN PRISON THAN OUTSIDE.
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May 7, 2012

snazz

MASHOBANE king of bling the game is over
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May 7, 2012

Papage

by the way he benefitted from remision of sentance from President and he will be donating some money to the ANC come 2014 elections
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May 7, 2012

CheeseBoy

hahaha I'm sure someone is sh.ag.ging the sh!.t out of his wi.fe whilst he wears all that bling in prison. what an idi.ot. crime does not pay.
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