×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Man of no real address

RISK: Mandla Lamba PHOTO:VELI NHLAPO
RISK: Mandla Lamba PHOTO:VELI NHLAPO

'SELF-STYLED tycoon Mandla Lamba is a liar and a flight risk and should be kept in jail'

The Johannesburg High Court yesterday denied Lamba bail because he could not prove the validity of all the addresses he had given to the court.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said the information provided by Lamba was proven to be incorrect by investigators.

"Investigating officers set out background checks and found out that the appellant gave wrong residential addresses. Therefore he is a flight risk," Masipa said.

He added that other grounds for dismissing the bail application were that Lamba had lied about all the cases that were pending against him.

"According to recordings on the appellant, Lamba was asked to explain why he had lied about not having any cases pending against him even when it was not so," Masipa said.

The court said it was proved that the accused had given false addresses from the beginning after his arrest.

"Evidence of investigations was not contradicted and the State's conclusion not to grant bail was in the interest of justice," Masipa said.

Lamba faces 15 charges. These are for fraud and theft, as well as for culpable homicide relating to a 2007 car accident in which two people died.

He allegedly approached several taxi owners and promised to help them buy new vehicles provided they each deposited R40,000 into his bank account

Lamba claims to have become a billionaire at the age of 25 from interests in gold, diamond and mining.

He was arrested in May last year at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.