Controversial businessman Peter Matsimbe, known for being media personality Ayanda Thabethe’s partner and father of her child, has been evading arrest by the police. Sunday World reports that an arrest warrant was issued against the Mozambican-born entrepreneur at the North Gauteng High Court in 2020 for fraud allegations involving 10 luxury cars that disappeared while in his possession.
Sandton police are investigating the possibility that Matsimbe may have fled to Zambia and has been entering and leaving the country undetected.
Peter Matsimbe fraud drama
In March of this year, City Press reported on a case involving a man named Matsimbe. According to court papers filed in August 2019, Matsimbe used fake documents to receive funding from Standard Bank. This funding was used to purchase luxury vehicles from various dealerships through his company, Matsimbe and Co.
The cars purchased included a Toyota Hilux, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus SUV, Lexus LX, Mclaren MP4 coupé, BMW X5 SUV, Can-Am Maverick, Audi Q3, Nissan Navara and a Volvo mechanical horse.
In 2019, Standard Bank was granted a court judgement to recover the cars from Matsimbe. However, he reportedly ignored this judgement. As a result, the bank obtained a warrant of committal for contempt of court against him.
According to the publication, the warrant ordered Matsimbe to be arrested for 30 days. However, only two cars were recovered: the Mclaren and the Volvo.
Additionally, Matsimbe’s brother Richard was reportedly involved in a similar scandal. He obtained a loan of R22 million from businessperson Jacobus Jansen for two luxury cars. Earlier this month, Sunday World reported that Richard abandoned his Hyde Park mansions in Johannesburg in order to evade arrest.
Couple clears infidelity claims
News of Matsimbe’s fraud allegations emerged just a few days after Zimoja reported that Ayanda Thabethe is expecting her second child. Ayanda Thabethe is a star on Celebrity Game Night and became a mother for the first time just over a year ago.
Shortly after the announcement of her first baby, rumours began to circulate that Matsimbe was an unfaithful husband. However, the couple released a joint statement in which they denied these rumours.
In the statement, they said: “We make this statement on behalf of Ms Ayanda Thabethe, who her partner supports, referred to as ‘PM’. The rumour that Thabethe is in a relationship with a married man is not true, and we have not been provided with evidence proving otherwise. PM is not in any marriage or union recognized by the law.