Police are hunting for a bishop from Hanover Park accused of running a scam involving the sale of taxis on the Cape Flats.
Taxi boss Shareef Edwards has opened a criminal case against Bishop Antonio Martin after trying to get his money back for nearly a year.
He says the drama started in August last year when he met Martin, who claimed to be the bishop of the local AME church.
“I was introduced to him and he told me the church had Quantums that they were planning to sell because they were getting new ones to transport the mense to church,” he says.
“He is very glad with his bek and because he is a man of the cloth, I believed him.
“He even told me that they are using some of the funds to start a feeding scheme.
“He told me each Quantum will cost R220 000 but I needed to put down a deposit for R30 000 per van and then pay the church R2500 each month and I agreed.”
Shareef, 55, says after receiving the pictures of the vans, he met with the bishop at the church where they signed a sale agreement and he was told he would get his vehicles the next day.
“I still made the EFT payment there in the church and paid him R59 000 for the two vans.
“The next day the stories started. First he said something about the trackers and kept coming with excuses.
“I told him I am gatvol and started asking questions and then I found out he is a fraud who was already in the mang for his dinge and that there are no Quantums.
“I registered a case against him and I’m waiting for the police to arrest him.
“I gave them all the proof.”
SAPS’ Andre Traut, confirms a case was opened.
“A case of fraud is currently under investigation at Philippi Police Detective branch.
“The suspect is known and pending the outcome of the investigation, he will be charged and brought before Athlone Magistrates’ Court on charges related to fraud.”
The Daily Voice visited Martin’s home in Hanover Park on Wednesday and his wife answered the door.
She claimed she threw him out of the house a few days ago, and did not have any knowledge of the vehicle sales, and that she was unable to reach him.
Martin could not be reached on any of the phone numbers.
Yolanda Simon, 53, caretaker of the church, dropped a bombshell by saying Martin is not their Bishop.
“He is not our Bishop, hy con die mense. He came here saying he will start a soup kitchen and had plans for a waterfall at the church,” she says.
“We were all amazed by this man who said he is here to help us. Then we heard he was conning people and one day he just disappeared.”