Assault after 'spy' crashes Lamborghini

Police are investigating an assault complaint after a Lamborghini, usually driven by a "secret agent", crashed in Durban.

The wreckage of a white 2011 Lamborghini Performante, valued at R5-million and owned by controversial businessman and convicted drug dealer Panganathan "Timmy" Marimuthu, and usually driven by his 25-year son, Lovendran, had to be towed from dense forest in the Umgeni Park area last month.

Lovendran was fingered as a "secret agent" in April this year along with Marimuthu and other relatives appointed by Major-General Solly Lazarus.

The Hawks this week arrested Lazurus, a former KwaZulu-Natal policeman, at his Johannesburg home. He is facing charges of theft, fraud and corruption.

Hearing a car screech off the road last month, residents living near the Umgeni Park forest rushed to the aid of the occupants.

An altercation took place when one of the occupants of the car - which has personalised licence plates that read LOVEN ZN - allegedly assaulted a bystander over comments that it was irresponsible to be speeding in a residential area.

SA Police Services spokesman Colonel Jay Naicker confirmed the assault was being investigated.

"An incident occurred on November 18 2012 at about 6am where a 55-year-old man was allegedly assaulted in Browns Drift. The motive is unknown and no arrest has been made at this stage," he said.

Lovendran, a nightclub owner, also organises concerts and was responsible for hosting US R&B headliners Busta Rhymes and T-Pain. He didn't respond to queries.

Speaking to the Sunday Times Extra, Marimuthu denied knowledge of the assault case.

" It was nothing. He [Lovendran] didn't crash. He just had an incident were he slipped onto the pavement. I don't know anything about an assault. I can't understand how an assault would take place because a policeman was there," he said.

Marimuthu claimed that a police officer, Captain DS Govender, had been at the scene.

Govender, who is stationed at the Durban North SAPS, confirmed he was present at the scene. But he would not comment further on what he was doing there or what transpired.

The Sunday Times reported earlier this year on a R300-million secret service fund under the control of crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.

An investigation found that Marimuthu, a close friend of axed police commissioner Bheki Cele, was paid about R1.6-million from the fund over two years.

Other "secret agents" named in the report include Marimuthu's wife, Neermala Moodley, daughter Shantal, brother Christie (a former police officer accused of previous crimes), and his son-in-law, Viganderan Redhi, as well as a close family friend, Ariffa Govender.