A collection of luxury timepieces was what linked a robbery accused to a string of criminal activities across the country, including a R36m jewellery heist at a Gqeberha store in September.

However, during his formal bail application in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court on Wednesday, Nkululeko Mthembu denied any involvement in the robbery and claimed he had been assaulted by private security officials to give a false confession about crimes he did not commit...