January 19, 2007

KREIJIR: THE FALLEN ANGEL

According to The People newspaper (18/01/2007), the SPPF party mouthpiece, ‘Czech born Seychellois Radovan Kreijir, who is wanted on charges of fraud in his native Czechoslovakia, was arrested and questioned by the Seychelles police last week following a search at his house and was later released’.

The same source (The People) further confirmed that another search was conducted in the house of another Czech, Peter Hruby, whereby a number of illegal arms were discovered and confiscated.  Hruby has subsequently been charged with possession of illegal firearms and ammunitions.  Hruby appeared in Court on Monday this week and pleaded not guilty to the charges, he has been released on a 20,000 rupee bail until his reappearance before Justice Perera on January 31^st.

 It is to be noted that the local authority has previously stated that Randovan Kreijir applied for and was granted Seychellois Citizenship in 1996 after a clean certificate of character was sought and obtained from his country of origin, Czechoslovakia Suddenly it appears that the cozy relationship once enjoyed by Kreijir and the people in power has taken a turn for the worst. It is not a secret that Kreijir had helped with the payment, obviously in foreign exchange,  for goods coming into the country on behalf of at least two well known local supermarkets. It is also believed that Kreijir was instrumental and probably the financial backbone behind the re-election of the Party in power. It is also known that personal loans in foreign exchange were sought and obtained by kingpins in government and in the SPPF hierarchy from Kreijir.

Speculation is rife that the government may finally hand over Kreijir to the Czech authorities who has repeatedly requested his extradition to Czechoslovakia. Kreijir is wanted in his country of origin apparently to stand trial for serious criminal offences there. The Seychelles government has in the past categorically refused to comply on the grounds that Kreijir is a Seychellois citizen and there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, under which such a procedure can be implemented. The Czech authorities even went as far as accusing the Seychelles Government in the international press of harbouring a fugitive from the law. However it now appears that Kreijir has, through no fault of his own, it seems, fallen out of favour with some very influential people in position of power.

It is not clear who authorised the controversial search at Kreijir’s abode and that of his personal bodyguard Peter Hruby which revealed a stash of arms and ammunition .But what is now certain is that this was done at a time when Mr. Rene is currently overseas. The sudden change of heart towards Kreijir has surprised many, if not all ,in the community. It was once thought that Kreijir is a powerful individual who enjoys the patronage and protection of the SPPF Government. This myth has apparently been shattered by the recent search, arrest and question of Kreijir by the Seychelles police. Although Kreijir has not been officially charged with any criminal offence, police Commissioner Gerard Waye-Hive told the press on Monday that criminal investigation is still ongoing.

It is not the first time that this Administration has dealt with ‘sois-disant’ investors in this manner. Our history is littered with people who were enticed to invest substantial sums  in Seychelles only to be kicked out of the country, when they fall out of favour with the government. The fate of Kreijir now hangs in the balance and it remains to be seen whether his former friends will throw him in the lions’ den.      

Copyright 2006: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles