State ordered to hand over Krejcir docket

Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir appears in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Friday, 24 January 2014. Krejcir and his four co-accused were appearing on charges of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder. Krejcir appeared alongside Siboniso Miya, Sandton businessman Desai Luphondo, and two members of the Hawks, warrant officers Samuel Modise Maropeng and George Jeff Nthoroane.Four of the men were arrested in November. Miya was arrested in January.In June, they allegedly kidnapped and assaulted 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 are accused of keeping the man at Krejcir's Money Point business in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, for four days, and assaulting him. The matter was postponed to February 24.Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir appears in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court on Friday, 24 January 2014. Krejcir and his four co-accused were appearing on charges of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder. Krejcir appeared alongside Siboniso Miya, Sandton businessman Desai Luphondo, and two members of the Hawks, warrant officers Samuel Modise Maropeng and George Jeff Nthoroane.Four of the men were arrested in November. Miya was arrested in January.In June, they allegedly kidnapped and assaulted 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 are accused of keeping the man at Krejcir's Money Point business in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, for four days, and assaulting him. The matter was postponed to February 24.Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Published May 14, 2014

Share

Johannesburg - The prosecution in the trial of Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir and five others was on Wednesday ordered to hand over the initial docket used to open the case.

Judge Collin Lamont said prosecutor Louis Mashiane should allow the defence to see the docket.

Mashiane had contended that some sections of the docket contained privileged information.

“The State should provide the docket... and all its contents to the council of the accused,” Lamont said in the High Court in Johannesburg sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court.

The defence lawyers were ordered not to disclose the contents of the dockets until the court permitted them to do so.

Annelene van den Heever, for Krejcir, earlier brought an application to gain access to the docket. She told the court the complainant in the case, Bheki Lukhele, initially opened a case against the accused shortly after he was attacked in June last year.

Van den Heever claimed to have learned on Tuesday that the police closed the case. A new docket was opened several months later.

Mashiane was in possession of the initial docket but refused to disclose some of its contents, suggesting it might compromise his case.

On Wednesday, the first State witness, Vusi Msimango returned to the dock.

During cross-examination, Van den Heever continued to criticise Msimango's written statement and testimony before court, arguing there were contradictions between the two.

In his defence, Msimango said: “Like I said, something narrated and something written down won't be exactly the same.”

Msimango had testified that he was recruited to help find 25kg of tik which disappeared with a man known as Doctor. Doctor worked at a cargo company at OR Tambo International airport. He was tasked to transport the drugs to Australia.

Msimango testified that Krejcir and his co-accused had kidnapped, assaulted and tortured Doctor's brother, Lukhele, in a bid for him to reveal the whereabouts of his brother.

During the torture, Krejcir allegedly poured boiling water over Lukhele's head. Van den Heever said Krejcir denied dealing in drugs, attacking Lukhele or even meeting with Msimango about the planned attack.

“We were together through all of this,” Msimango said in response.

Krejcir, Desai Luphondo, Warrant Officers Samuel Modise Maropeng, George Nthoroane, Jan Lefu Mofokeng and Siboniso Miya face charges of dealing in drugs, attempted murder and kidnapping.

They have denied guilt.

The trial continues.

Sapa

Related Topics: