Durban - A jeweller and a health supplement businessman were apparently duped into buying counterfeit perfume for R4 000 and only learnt it was fake when the jeweller’s fiancée developed a rash after using it.
Upset about their purchase, they apparently confronted the perfume seller, who had initially told them it was damaged goods from Edcon being sold at cost price and guaranteed it was not fake.
Rakesh Premjee and his co-accused, Sagren Moodley, were then charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances by the seller, who said he had been assaulted and that one of the men wielded a gun.
This was after the men had taken the seller’s bag with 19 perfumes, his cellphone, his Calvin Klein watch and R2 400 in cash.
The pair on Tuesday told the Durban Magistate’s Court they had been upset about their purchase and confronted the seller, demanding a refund. When the seller said he did not have the money, they admitted to taking his goods.
Prosecutor Sharon Moodley said the State did not oppose bail.
The men were released on R2 500 bail each.
Their attorney, Ridewaan Sayed, read out to the court their respective affidavits in support of bail.
The court heard that Premjee, 39, of Overport, owned Premjee Jewellers at The Pavilion, a family business in existence for more than 70 years. Premjee assured the court he was not a flight risk as he had firm roots in the province.
He said he lived with his mother and 5-year-old son; owned property and a business as well as a BMW M3, a Toyota Landcruiser, a 1984 Camaro, a motorcycle and a jetski.
He said he and Moodley knew the perfume seller and that the seller had been to their respective businesses.
“A dispute arose as a result of the complainant selling us counterfeit perfume for an amount of R4 000. We discovered that the perfume was counterfeit and that the complainant had misled us, we raised this with the complainant and demanded our money back.
“The complainant was never assaulted or threatened with a firearm. All we did was hold some of his stock and tell him it would be returned once he had refunded our money,” said Premjee in his affidavit.
Both men indicated they would plead not guilty to the charge and said they had handed themselves over to the police.
They had also both handed in their licensed firearms.
According to Moodley’s affidavit, the 49-year-old from Chatsworth supported his wife and child who was currently in matric.
The investigating officer, Warrant Officer Anand Pillay’s affidavit read out to the court by prosecutor Moodley, corroborated the version told by the accused pair.
Pillay said he had made enquiries about fake perfume being sold and was told that fake perfume with wrappings similar to the original were being sold in the city centre.
Magistrate Mahomed Motala said from both versions, this appeared to be a business transaction gone wrong.
He granted the pair bail and ordered them not to have any contact with the seller. The case was adjourned until June 23.
Daily News