Philipp Plein

There is a chat screenshot dated 21 May 2021 involving Mr Nku and others discussing the keys and container and seal, with a person named Philipp Plein involved.

“a chat which is an image, a screenshot on your phone and it is 21 May 2021 ... can you get the pics of the container and seal ... so it is not going to happen today ... boss, the driver details still have not been loaded yet”

Mr Nku stated that Philipp Plein was his handle name on the chat application, not his actual name.

“No, that is not ... that was in my handle name on the app ... that was in my handle name ...”

Truecaller shows the phone number as belonging to Mr Nku, although the alias saved on the chat is Philipp Plein.

“On Truecaller, that number appeared as Mr Nku's number.”

The name Philipp Plein was saved by a person named Alpha in the chats, and is not necessarily the name Mr Nku uses for himself or was known by.

“On these chats, it is Alpha who had saved you as Philipp Plein ... It does not matter that you do not call yourself or ever called yourself Philipp Plein.”

Mr Nku denies ever being known as Philipp Plein at any time.

“No, I have not. ... I have not been known as Philipp Plein. Usually they would say...”

Mr Nku confirms he appears wearing clothing from the brand Philipp Plein which is identifiable by the letters PP.

“That is me, Commissioner. ... And the name of the brand is Philipp Plein.”

Mr Nku accepts that in a chat conversation on page 32 of the chats, he is the participant identified as Philipp Plein.

“I n t h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n , y e s”

A conversation between 'Alpha' and Philipp Plein was identified from metadata on WhatsApp screenshots relating to the timing and messages exchanged around container transport details.

“Now we have identified that person as Philipp Plein now. So now we can confirm to say this conversation is between Alpha and Philipp Plein.”

It is disputed whether a user communicating with Alpha is Philipp Plein or another person forwarding messages, but timing and metadata strongly indicate Philipp Plein was directly involved in the communications.

“I disagree because if we look back to the first screenshots, ... this other unidentified user, we have not identified him as Philipp Plein yet... It appears to say that person was Philipp Plein.”

There was a WhatsApp communication between Alpha and Philipp Plein where Philipp Plein was identified to be the other party communicating with Alpha regarding container and seal pictures.

“Philipp Plein now, because already I have identified to say the other person is Philipp Plein ... Philipp Plein is answering now the point by Alpha ... Alpha : " I need that pics of container and seal so I can also take pressure off me . " Philipp Plein : " On it , boss "”

Alpha was under pressure and expressed nervousness about the delay in getting pictures of the container and seal, pressing Philipp Plein to open the container and take out the stuff urgently.

“Alpha : " Boss , I am getting really nervous now . How come your guys do not know this ? Please just go to container and open and take the stuff . I am telling you we are going to have big , big , big shit if we do not give this stuff today . We made a lot of promises and not delivered . "”

There is suspicion that container contents were successfully retrieved on 2021-05-21 based on message timestamps and absence of screenshots saved on subsequent days.

“I am of the suspicions that the contents were successfully retrieved on 2021-05-21 . There were never any screenshots saved on 2021-05-22 and 2021-05-23 . That is why I am saying I am of the suspicion to say those contents were retrieved on the 21st .”

The cell phone username 'Philipp Plein' was used by Tu m e l o N k u as the screenshots were from his device. The number used by Tu m e l o N k u was saved in the Truecaller app as Philipp Plein.

“Philip p P l e i n i s t h e u s e r n a m e t h a t w a s u s e d b y Tu m e l o N k u , a s t h e s c r e e n s h o t s w e r e f r o m h i s d e v i c e . ... T h e n u m b e r w a s s e a r c h e d o n t h e Tr u e c a l l e r a p p l i c a t i o n , a n d i t s h o w s t h a t i t w a s s a v e d a s P h i l i p p P l e i n”

Conversation on 1 July 2021 between Alpha, Philipp Plein, and Tumelo Nku indicated pressures and issues related to container shipments at Pier 1 and Pier 2.

“Alpha say: 'Please get back to me straight away' ... Philipp Plein says: 'Boss, can't they get Pier 2? We are going to have to pull another mission impossible.' ... Alpha says: 'Look here, the vessel is already set. Let us do last one, Pier 1. We do a mission impossible. I want good pressure. At least we now know the system now.'”

Messages reference coordination about vessels and container shipments to Pier 1, with instructions to avoid containers carrying metal or automobiles due to a recent bust a week earlier at Isipingo.

“Boss, please tell the people that avoid any containers with metal or anything automobile. Only load goods or sugar. Anything that goes to Pier 1 or 2 is workable. Remember there was a bust a week ago”

The last WhatsApp conversation on 1 July 2021 shows Alpha noting 'I only got to know now' and Philipp Plein expressing frustration about job difficulties, discussing container contents and specifying to avoid containers with metal or automobile goods due to recent busts.

“Alpha says: 'I only got to know now'... Philipp Plein says: 'Boss, these people are really making our job impossible by the day.' ... Boss, please tell the people that avoid any containers with metal or anything automobile. Only load goods or sugar.”

One of the screenshots found on the device of the accused person contained communication between Philipp Plein, saved as Tumelo Nku, and individuals identified as Alpha.

“During the analysis, it was discovered that one of the screenshots found on the device of the accused person contained the communication between Philipp Plein, who was saved in the device as Tumelo Nku, and individuals identified as Alpha”

Philipp Plein was identified as Mr Nku using the Truecaller app during the forensic exam of the seized phone.

“What methods did you use to determine that Philipp Plein is Mr Nku ? - The Truecaller.”

The messages show a hierarchy with 'the boss' quoting messages from Philipp Plein, indicating that Philipp Plein communicates to the bosses and there is a chain of command in these operations.

“Now he is communicating to the bosses. So it is not going to happen today.”