Johannesburg - Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir suggested a man be murdered to get to the victim's brother, the High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge, heard on Tuesday.
“Radovan suggested we kill the victim (Bheki Lukhele) so that his brother Doctor can attend the funeral so it would be easy for them to pick him up,” State witness Peter Vusi Msimango told the court through an interpreter. He was being questioned by prosecutor Louis Mashiane.
Msimango, a Boksburg businessman, had been recruited to help find “Doctor”, who worked at a cargo company at OR Tambo International Airport. Doctor apparently disappeared with 25kg of tik that he was tasked to help transport to Australia in June last year.
Msimango said he and another man were not in agreement with the plan to murder Lukhele.
Krejcir later told them to abort the plan.
“He said he doesn't want to have a reputation of a drug dealer,” Msimango said.
Krejcir, Desai Luphondo, Warrant Officers Samuel Modise Maropeng and George Jess Nthoroane, Jan Lefu Mofokeng, and Siboniso Miya face charges of dealing in drugs, attempted murder, and kidnapping. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Testifying on Monday, Msimango said Lukhele was picked up at his home in Katlehong and taken to Krejcir's Money Point business premises in Bedfordview, where he was bound and assaulted. Krejcir poured boiling water over his head, the court heard.
Asked what happened to Lukhele afterwards, Msimango on Tuesday said Desai contacted him and suggested they “get rid” of him.
“I said let's wait until it gets dark,” said Msimango.
They placed the injured man in a Jeep belonging to Luphondo's wife.
“We dropped him off near a stadium in Katlehong,” said Msimango.
Dressed all in black, Krejcir sat next to his co-accused, towering above them and listened attentively to proceedings.
Earlier, he reached over the bench and spoke to his wife Katerina Krejcirova in a foreign language. The couple laughed at a comment made by Krejcir. - Sapa