"So the company must change its rules to sort confused people? Like we said, lazy and confused people must please not join us," said Chauke.
"What more warning would you want us to tell consumers except what is clearly in our advertising material?
"Was there somebody from us who signed a document with them to take their money to our bank or was there someone who held a gun on them to pay the money?
"Clever as they were and are, [they] are playing ignorant to not having read those warnings."
He said they could read the details of the bank account but did not see the warnings. "They knew the content of those brochures and what they did was their choice," he said
However, Chauke's brochure distributed to the group of investors states that on joining, a member gets 300 to 500 chickens, free starter and grower feed for R17693.
Investors were promised delivery within 14 working days after paying the grand total in full into the company's bank account.
It also states that no cash refund will be given after delivery of goods or payment is in its account.
His new brochure, e-mailed to Sowetan, does not state when the delivery would take place.
Chauke denies he conned group
Lewis Chauke says the amount paid by the investors was an administration fee and not the contract amount.
Chauke said he clearly told the investors not to pay unless they were sure of what they are doing
"They are intelligent people who could read. I did not put a gun to their heads. They just paid their money based on a brochure I distributed to them."
He said if he had done anything criminal the Ermelo police would have arrested him after the group opened a case against him.
He confirmed there was no contract signed, but could not explain what entitled him to keep their money.
Chauke threatened to sue the investors and Sowetan if their story was published.
He said his brochure clearly stated that there was no refund.
Chauke said his procedure is to deliver 22500 chicks and 285 bags of feed per site and that was restricted to one person.
He said these people were not forced to part with their money as they understood that if they did not meet the requirements then they would lose their money.
Group of investors cry foul over chicken 'scam'
"So the company must change its rules to sort confused people? Like we said, lazy and confused people must please not join us," said Chauke.
"What more warning would you want us to tell consumers except what is clearly in our advertising material?
"Was there somebody from us who signed a document with them to take their money to our bank or was there someone who held a gun on them to pay the money?
"Clever as they were and are, [they] are playing ignorant to not having read those warnings."
He said they could read the details of the bank account but did not see the warnings. "They knew the content of those brochures and what they did was their choice," he said
However, Chauke's brochure distributed to the group of investors states that on joining, a member gets 300 to 500 chickens, free starter and grower feed for R17693.
Investors were promised delivery within 14 working days after paying the grand total in full into the company's bank account.
It also states that no cash refund will be given after delivery of goods or payment is in its account.
His new brochure, e-mailed to Sowetan, does not state when the delivery would take place.
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