PEPCELL NIGHTMARE

I purchased a phone Samsung A05 in August 2024 at pepcell blueroute mall. The phone was working perfectly ok up until January 2025. Knowing I had a warranty I returned the phone to pep and detailed what was wrong with the phone, mind you the phone has had no issues and I have never had it taken for repairs prior. 7th January I returned the phone and had to give my receipt in as well I was told it would take 32 days for the most. In February after 32 days I called pepcell and asked about my phone the assistant there said the phone was not returned. I contacted several more times and was told that the repair place they sent it to stated that my warranty was no longer available as I had the screen replaced. I was absolutely dumbfounded by this and assured them that I had do no such thing because what idiot would knowing it would mess with the warranty.I was told to pay R1600 to have it repaired or R350 to have it returned to the store. I contacted customer complaints and they told me there's nothing they could do I must contact the store i did and they said I must contact customer care as there is nothing they could do. So now either pepcell is repackaging old phones as new or they do not intend on honouring their warranty. I am so livid at the way they are holding me hostage with a phone I purchased by them and thought was a brand new phone. They refuse to assist and telling me that now I have to fork out either R1600 for repairs or R350 to have it returned. What absolute **** is this. There is no damage to the phone caused by me and yet they saying I replaced the screen