William “King of Bling” Mbatha Only two years ago he was the toast of the town, rubbing shoulders with the likes of US music stars R Kelly and Akon and hosting some of the biggest parties in Pretoria has ever seen. But on Wednesday convicted crime boss William “King of Bling” Mbatha was sentenced to a total of 113 years, which will see him serving an effective 35 years in prison.
Even while facing a hefty jail sentence, Mbatha’s fashion sense did not desert him as he arrived dressed to the nines in a matching tie, jacket and shoes. But it all came crushing down as Acting Judge Naren Pandya handed down the sentence. However, this does not signal the end of his problems as he still faces an array of charges for crimes allegedly committed in Germiston and in the city.
Mbatha was handed the hefty sentence on Wednesday after being found guilty earlier this year for crimes including robbery with aggravating circumstances, illegal possession of a firearm, pretending to be a police officer, kidnapping and unlawful wearing of a police uniform.
The charges arose from a spate of robberies Mbatha and his accomplices committed at the homes of wealthy businessmen in the Joburg area. The modus operandi was based on collecting information about his targets and robbing them while pretending to be police officers. The crimes were carried out by the gang wearing police uniforms, producing fake police appointment cards and flashing police blue lights.
Throughout his trial the court heard how some of Mbatha’s victims had been tortured in their homes, with some being suffocated with plastic bags over their heads.
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