Radovan Krejcir a free man in South Africa!

Radovan Krejcir in a South African court.

Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir said that he is impressed with the South African justice system after he was granted bail of one million South African Rand last Friday, 6th July, 2007. The 38-year old has been in custody since his arrest by Interpol on April 21 this year when he entered South Africa with a legal Seychelles passport issued under a covertly assumed name from Madagascar.

Magistrate Steven Holtzen granted Krejcir bail on the condition that he report to the Lyttleton Police Station twice a week until he returns to court on August 8th. Krejcir has been further ordered not to leave Gauteng and must hand in all travel documents in his possession.

In granting bail Magistrate Holtzen said that it was clear Krejcir was running away from persecution rather than prosecution and banned Interpol from arresting him.

Releasing Krejcir, Holtzen said, considering the length of time it might take to finalise the extradition – up to three years – it would not serve the interest of justice to keep Krejcir in detention.

The state argued that Krejcir was a flight risk because of the seriousness of the charges against him. It was also said he had entered South Africa illegally, with a fake document under a false name and that he had no emotional attachment or financial assets to keep him in South Africa. But the judge rejected the arguments as insufficient, saying he found it strange that the charges against Krejcir were so old, some going back to 1994 when he was still residing in the Czech Republic, but was never arrested.

The judge stated that Krejcir was legitimately issued a Seychelles passport, even if it was under a different name, and that Krejcir had made considerable investment in South Africa, buying a business and some properties and expressing a wish to move his wife and son to the country permanently. Krejcir who has been released on a three million crown bail has asked for asylum in South Africa, claiming that he would be persecuted in his homeland and that the former government had ordered his father’s murder.

During Radovan Krejcir short burst of freedom last month, when he was released from jail on a technicality by the Johannesburg High Court on June 4th, 2007, but handed himself over for arrest about a week later, on June 13th at his defence lawyers’ office, the Czech fugitive wasn’t plotting his escape but was buying blankets and soccer balls for underprivileged South African children. According to a woman, who asked not to be named, Krejcir had bought 1700 blankets, of which 200 were distributed at an old-age home in the North West and the rest in Pretoria and surrounding townships. He also bought 1000 soccer balls, some of which will go to children in Soweto. And his next crusade, she said, was to start soup kitchens.

A relieved Krejcir smiled, hugged and kissed his son and mother who were in court. “This is a country under constitutional law which will allow me to appeal and I am convinced that I have done the right thing,” he said. “It’s nice, very nice. Next step? Now I will pay bail and I have to take some rest, “Krejcir added. Krejcir is now convinced more than ever before that he will never go to a Czech prison….