A man appeared before the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday to face a charge of fraud after he and his accomplices racked up close to R10 000 at a popular Durban beachside restaurant, and then fleeing the scene with the bill unpaid.

The incident occurred on Friday and Captain Muzi Maphumulo, the spokesperson for Durban Central SAPS, says the man was granted bail.

“Wandile Radebe appeared briefly yesterday at the Durban Magistrate’s Court for charges of fraud and bilking. He was granted bail of R2 000. The matter was postponed to February 23,” adds Maphumulo.

The man was caught trying to flee the restaurant without paying the bill.

“A 28-year-old man was arrested for fraud at a restaurant on the beachfront in Durban just before midnight on Friday, January 20,” says police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda.

According to UIP Boss Security, which responded on Friday, two suspects fled the scene and the third was caught and handed over to police.

Boss UIP Security shared a photo of the bill which totaled a whopping R9 322. This included a R600 splurge on energy drinks and over R800 on lamb chops. Expensive alcohol, however, made up the bulk of the spend with more than R3 000 spent on Hennessey and R1 500 on Cognac.