Television and sports personality Robert Marawa has lost his luxury beemer after refusing to pay over R200 000 storage fees to a Joburg storage company.
Marawa has filed papers in the Joburg High Court to obtain a court order to force the storage company, Abandoned Solutions, to return the car.
The intrepid Metro FM sports presenter has also opened a case against Abandoned Solutions at Douglasdale police station.
In court papers filed by his lawyer, Nadeem Mahomed of Nadeem Mahomed Attorneys, Marawa said Abandoned Solutions was in possession of his 2005 BMW 650I Coupe A/T and wanted the company to re- turn it to him.
“The defendant is in possession of the vehicle. Alternatively, the defendant disposed of same with the knowledge of the plaintiff’s ownership. Wherefore the plaintiff prays for judgment against the defendant as follows: ordering the defendant to deliver the 2005 model, E63 BMW 650i Coupe A/T to the plaintiff and ordering the sheriff of the court of the jurisdiction where the vehicle maybe found to forthwith seize the vehicle mentioned above and hand same to plaintiff,” read the papers.
Attempts to solicit comment from the former SuperSport soccer anchor drew a blank. But Mahomed confirmed they have
Abandoned Solutions should charge Auto Bavaria for storage opened a case against Abandoned Solutions and have also filed a lawsuit.
Mahomed said Marawa had taken his car to Auto Bavaria in Midrand for diagnostics and repairs.
He said when they later gave him a quotation, he told them he wouldn’t afford it and would rather take it to a cheaper deal- ership. But the BMW branch said it had already taken the car to Abandoned Solutions and demanded that Marawa pay a R200 000 storage fee before the car could be released to him.
“Abandoned Solutions should charge the storage costs to Auto Bavaria, and not to Mr Marawa,” he said.
Mahomed said they had since discovered that Abandoned Solutions had already changed ownership of the vehicle to its name.
“We then opened a case against Abandoned Solutions and the police have already interviewed and obtained statements from them.”
Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo confirmed that Marawa has opened the case and statements have been obtained from the relevant parties.
“The docket will this week be taken back to court for a decision,” he said.
