Krejcir wanted South African citizenship

THE VERY LATEST ON RADOVAN KREJCIR A NATURALISED SEYCHELLOIS ARRESTED IN SOUTH AFRICA FOUR WEEKS AGO

Krejcir wanted South African citizenship

Fugitive Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir arrived in South Africa, where he was arrested and taken into custody, to gain South African citizenship for his family, he told the tabloid daily Blesk.

“I am seeking a free, democratic country in which Interpol will not chase me,” Krejcir told the paper.

In the Czech Republic, Krejcir is prosecuted for property crimes and preparation of the murder of a customs officer.

Krejcir told Blesk that he also visited South Africa to undergo a MRI examination because he suffered frequent headaches.

Krejcir fled from the Czech police to the Seychelles in 2005. He and his wife and son have Seychellois citizenship.

The South African police arrested him at the Johannesburg international airport five weeks ago when he entered the country with a Seychellois passport under a false name.

The Czech Republic wants is asking for his extradition. Krejcir’s lawyer wants the court to release him on bail.

Czech fugitive loses battle for early release

Prague/Johannesburg, May 17 (CTK) - The court in Johannesburg did not decide on remanding fugitive Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir in custody today and adjourned the decision until next Thursday, or possibly earlier, the Aktualne.cz server has reported.

The South African judge said that he is not able to rule whether Krejcir, who is prosecuted in the Czech Republic over numerous crimes, would wait for the verdict on his extradition to the Czech Republic in custody, or whether he would be released on bail.

The court only ruled that Krejcir would remain in detention at the police station Kempton park until the next trial and then adjourned the proceedings today.

A Czech delegation, that arrived in the country at the South African authorities’ request, took part in today’s trial.

The South African police arrested Krejcir in Johannesburg on April 21 on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by a Czech court.

Krejcir flew in South Africa using a false passport from Madagascar. Until then he stayed in the Seychelles where he fled from the Czech Republic in mid-2005 following a police search of his villa.

The Czech Republic is seeking the extradition of Krejcir, who has Seychellois citizenship.

Nova commercial TV and Aktualne.cz reported that Krejcir’s defence lawyers today challenged Krejcir’s arrest in South Africa as unlawful. They said that Krejcir should have been released.

Krejcir is represented by four South African lawyers and another two Czech defence counsels are also present during the proceedings.

Nova said that the Czech delegation did not get a chance to speak up before court in Johannesburg today.

However, the delegation talked with the local authorities on Wednesday to clarify some points ensuing from differences between the Czech ad South African legal orders, Justice Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Kuncova told CTK.

Nova said that the Czech delegation comprises state attorneys Petra Pavlanova and Vladimir Tryzna, who are in charge of investigating Krejcir’s cases, two Justice Ministry clerks and two policemen.

The Czech police prosecute Krejcir on suspicion of an attempted siphoning of money from the Cepro state company by means of fictitious claims, the alleged preparation of the murder of a customs officer and other crimes.

Krejcir’s mother and his son Denis, who has been living with his parents in the Seychelles, have also arrived in Johannesburg. His wife Katerina Krejcirova did not appear in court today, allegedly out of fears that she, too, could be arrested. She is prosecuted in the Czech Republic on suspicion of complicity.

The Star

Czech fugitive loses battle for early release

While his teenage son has been riding rollercoasters at Gold Reef City, he has been fighting the cold inside a police cell.

And on Tuesday, Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir lost his battle for early release from custody when a magistrate ruled that his arrest last month and detention were lawful.

Last week, the billionaire’s defence claimed he was being kept in jail illegally. They said the magistrate who oversaw his first appearances did not have enough information to keep him behind bars. The state disputes this.

Although judgment was expected to be handed down in the Kempton Park magistrate’s court on Thursday, magistrate Daniel Oberholzer convened both sides yesterday to tell them he agreed with the action taken by the court earlier. Even if he didn’t, he said, he didn’t have the authority to overrule the decision. Krejcir, 39, was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on April 21 trying to enter the country on a false passport.

Two years earlier, he fled the Czech Republic, and took shelter in the Seychelles.

Back home he is wanted on a number of charges, ranging from fraud to conspiring to commit murder. Krejcir has four Czech warrants of arrest against him and could face life behind bars if convicted.

Police are convinced he had intended to settle in South Africa.

The state is in the process of finalising the application to have Krejcir extradited to the Czech Republic. His defence has vowed to oppose such an application.

State advocate Beverley Edwards said the state was in possession of another warrant of arrest and would execute it if Krejcir was released on a technicality. If released on bail, however, he would be free to await his extradition hearing.

His bail application is due to start on Thursday, and a delegation of Czech witnesses has arrived in SA to testify.