Johannesburg - A police officer allegedly linked to the kidnapping and attempted murder case against Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir applied for bail in the Palm Ridge Regional Court on Thursday.
Sitting in the dock with his arms folded, Warrant Officer Jan Mofokeng listened to the court proceedings.
The small court was empty, but nine officers kept watch inside, with four more at the door outside.
Prosecutor Lethabo Mashiane told the court the State opposed bail because Mofokeng knew who the witnesses were and some witnesses had already been threatened. The court heard that Mofokeng was arrested on January 28 after police started looking for him in November.
Mashiane, reading an affidavit from the investigating officer, said Mofokeng knew there was a warrant for his arrest but absconded to Bloemfontein in the Free State.
“The State's case is very strong against the accused and his co-accused,” he said.
Mofokeng was the sixth man arrested in connection with the kidnapping and attempted murder case against Krejcir. They allegedly kidnapped and assaulting a man whose brother, known only as “Doctor”, disappeared with a 25kg shipment of tik he had been recruited to help smuggle through OR Tambo International Airport.
They allegedly kept the man at Krejcir's Money Point business in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, for four days, and assaulted him.
Some of the group also face charges relating to an alleged plot to kill police crime intelligence officer Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba and private forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan, both linked to investigations involving Krejcir. - Sapa