GEORGE NEWS - The case against alleged con man Tarkan Cakmak that has been dragging on for nearly two years, continued in the Thembalethu Regional Court last Monday 16 April.
When the Arabic interpreter travelling from Cape Town didn't turn up, and seeing as the witness currently on the stand, Gallery 7 employee Hassan Aittaleb, is not fluent in English, magistrate Pumela Yono postponed the case to 15 June.
In 2016 Cakmak allegedly conned Gallery 7 in Eden Meander Lifestyle Centre out of Persian carpets to the value of R300 000.
He was arrested by the investigating officer, Jydrean Heathcote, at his own carpet business in Greenacres Shopping Centre in Port Elizabeth shortly after and released on R10 000 bail in June 2016.
Alledgedly, Cakmak took four Persian rugs on consignment at Gallery 7, saying he first wanted to see if they suited his house in Sands Road in Wilderness. According to store manager Lettie Kümm, Cakmak told her that he wanted to purchase three rugs for his wedding anniversary and he wanted to surprise his wife.
Aittaleb accompanied the suspect to the said address. When they stopped next to the house, Aittaleb was allegedly told to get out of the car, after which Cakmak made a U-turn, drove off and never returned.
Kümm also said that Cakmak did not pay for the carpets and showed the George Herald signed documentation that she said proves that "Cakmak took the carpets on appro."
In a letter written on behalf of Cakmak by Stuart Laubscher Attorneys in Port Elizabeth, received by the George Herald shortly after the arrest, the attorneys claim that Cakmak is a "respected business man" and that their client entered the shop and purchased four carpets from the shop for R25 000 in cash. The carpets have since been recovered by the police and are being stored as evidence.
Click here for previous articles:
- Alleged carpet thief in court in May
- Carpet theft case postponed
- Update: Carpet ride accused in court
- Carpet ride accused back in George
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