Cape Town - The SA Revenue Service (Sars) has launched a full-scale investigation into the tax affairs of Czech fugitive and alleged criminal mastermind Radovan Krejcir that has seen a host of witnesses subpoenaed to testify against him in a closed and secret inquiry.
Krejcir fled the Czech Republic to escape a prison sentence for fraud, and was arrested in Johannesburg for entering SA with a false passport when he arrived in 2007.
Since obtaining refugee status in SA, Krejcir, 42, has been accused of insurance fraud of R4.5 million, although these charges have been provisionally withdrawn.
In February, he was accused of robbing a Pretoria electronics shop of hundreds of thousands of rand, alongside co-accused Veselin Laganin and Jason Dominguez.
Krejcir is out on bail of R30 000, and the case returns to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on October 9.
So far, Krejcir, who was close to strip club boss Lolly Jackson and security boss Cyril Beeka before they were murdered, has avoided being extradited to the Czech Republic to face more charges there.
Weekend Argus has obtained the names of seven of the witnesses, who include one of SA’s most high-profile criminals. They have been requested via high court applications launched by Sars to give testimony before a Sars panel.
The other witnesses are a security boss, two alleged criminals known in the security industry, an employee of Krejcir, an attorney and a doctor.
An investigator involved in the matter, who did not wish to be named, said more witnesses who had had dealings with Krejcir had also been subpoenaed.
Krejcir, of Bedfordview, Johannesburg, had himself been subpoenaed to testify at the hearing, he confirmed to Weekend Argus this week.
“Sars called me and told me it’s secret, and that I shouldn’t talk to anybody about it. This is the first time I’m talking to anybody about it,” he said.
Weekend Argus also approached one of the witnesses in the case on Thursday.
Although he denied being subpoenaed, a source close to the investigation has told Weekend Argus the witness has already testified before a 13-member Sars panel appointed to investigate Krejcir’s tax affairs.
Relatives of one of the witnesses have told Weekend Argus they feared for their safety following a subpoena issued to the witness to testify against Krejcir, who is much-feared in underworld circles.
The Sars investigation follows claims by Krejcir against the estates of Jackson and Beeka.
Krejcir had business and personal dealings with the two before they were murdered, and was a suspect in the killings at one stage. He has not been charged.
Krejcir is claiming $1 million (about R8.26m) and about R3.7m from Jackson’s estate, according to documents in the possession of Weekend Argus. He is also claiming R2.6m from Beeka’s estate, according to several people involved in the estate.
Sarah Dodd of Abrahams&Gross attorneys in Cape Town, who are handling the estate, declined to confirm this.
“I am not comfortable disclosing the information because it involves the estate and the beneficiaries of the estate,” Dodd said.
Meanwhile, various sources have said Sars is also trying to claim money from Jackson and Beeka’s estates.
Without referring to Krejcir specifically, Sars spokesman Adrian Lackay said Sars could hold a Section 74 inquiry in terms of the Income Tax Act, and subpoena witnesses because of their involvement in matters or individuals under investigation.
Sars could also approach a high court judge to obtain a court order to call a tax inquiry.
Weekend Argus