Issa trial marked by new twists, death threat

Published Jul 1, 2015

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Johannesburg - What was expected to be a routine postponement in the Sam Issa murder trial turned into a torrent of criminal allegations against Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir, his son Denis and a high-profile police investigator.

Krejcir, alleged to be a kingpin of criminal networks, Siboniso Miya, Nkanyiso Mafunda and Simphiwe Memela have all been accused of murdering Issa, who died in a drive-by shooting in Bedfordview in 2013 that saw his Audi Q7 riddled with bullets.

Issa, believed to be a major drug dealer in Joburg at the time, was linked to Krejcir and was seen at the Czech businessman’s home the night before he was killed.

Issa’s murder case continued in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning, where the prosecution, led by advocate Lawrence Gcaba, revealed that a fifth accused had been arrested hours before the proceedings.

While his role in the killing was not disclosed in court, Boris Grigorov is alleged to have been the middleman Krejcir allegedly used to hire the hitmen who killed Issa.

While Gcaba looked satisfied at the new arrest, he told the court that another prime suspect – Denis Krejcir – was still on the loose. He has been unable to return to South Africa after he was placed on a prohibited person list by the government and denied access since he left on a holiday in December last year.

Denis and his girlfriend Marlene Nezar had been travelling with Krejcir’s wife Katerina Krejcirova when they were informed that Denis’s permanent residence permit was allegedly fraudulent.

But on Tuesday, Gcaba said that because of the complications with Home Affairs and the respective government departments denying Denis access to South Africa, the State required at least three months to try to secure his arrest, as well as that of another unknown suspect.

Krejcir’s lawyer, Annelene van den Heever, said it was a gross violation of the five accused’s rights to a swift trial. She insisted the State had already postponed on several occasions and this was another ruse to keep the accused behind bars.

Van den Heever reminded the court that using Denis’s absence from the country as an excuse to prolong proceedings was in fact the State’s fault, as another government department had prevented him from returning months ago.

Gcaba argued that police investigations were unpredictable and that new information could become available at any time. He said this meant it was paramount for the State to fully investigate all avenues, especially considering the identification of new suspects in the murder.

He said the five accused would also be charged with a conspiracy to murder witnesses, a plan that was foiled by police last week when they arrested alleged hitman Sakhile Bhengu.

Magistrate Sharlotte Sithole conceded the lengthy postponement and allowed the defence to apply for bail for the five accused, set for next Tuesday.

Van den Heever then revealed she had been instructed to tell the court how a top police investigator, Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba, had approached Krejcir while he was transported to prison and threatened his life.

He allegedly said he knew several “generals” in the gangs at Krejcir’s prison, who would be willing to kill him if ordered to do so, she added. Krejcir would open a criminal case against Ximba, Van den Heever said.

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The Star

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