Johannesburg - An explosive affidavit disclosed during Radovan Krejcir’s murder trial has linked the Czech fugitive to convicted drug-dealer Glenn Agliotti, bribery of high-ranking police officials and an alleged plot to kidnap businessman Patrice Motsepe.
It has also bolstered claims of Krejcir’s involvement in the deaths of German supercar specialist Uwe Gemballa, alleged Bedfordview drug kingpin Sam Issa, and the conspiracy to murder investigators Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba and forensic security consultant Paul O’Sullivan.
It was because of this sensitive document provided by the State that the trial at the high court in Johannesburg was stalled, as the defence representing Krejcir and his four co-accused needed time to consult their clients about the new evidence.
Krejcir, Siboniso Miya, Nkanyiso Mafunda, Siphiwe Memela and Borislavov Grigorov are charged with the 2013 murder of Issa, who was gunned down in his car in Bedfordview.
The start of the trial was originally set down for Tuesday, but is likely to only continue on Wednesday because of the dramatic new evidence.
Lucky Mokwena wrote in his affidavit he was a former hired gun for Krejcir.
He was introduced to the Czech by Agliotti.
Mokwena claims he was ordered by Agliotti, who was in turn asked by Krejcir, to break into the housing unit where Gemballa was living between 2008 and 2009 to steal a laptop and other valuables.
After conducting multiple robberies for Krejcir, the Czech allegedly asked Mokwena to break into Issa’s Bedfordview home, rob and murder him.
Mokwena agreed, but claims he told Krejcir he didn’t have the ability to kill someone, and only stole 2kg of cocaine, 20 watches, R600 000, a cigar box and a Glock pistol.
Mokwena said that a few days later, Issa was killed and Krejcir gloated about his death.
“I do know that my friend Glenn Agliotti was present at MoneyPoint (Krejcir’s business) the night before Sam Issa’s death and he also knows that Radovan ordered the killing of Sam Issa.
“This is because Krejcir was bragging and telling people that he trusted that he was killing ‘the cockroach’,” Mokwena’s affidavit read.
Mokwena also linked Krejcir to the 2013 killing of Phumlani Ncube, whom the Czech allegedly also referred to as a “cockroach” as he believed Ncube was a police informant.
Krejcir was also blamed for the conspiracy to kill Ximba and O’Sullivan and Mokwena said he witnessed the discussions planning the intended hits.
However, the affidavit took an unexpected turn when it revealed that Krejcir allegedly also wanted to kidnap and extort cash from billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe.
According to Mokwena, Krejcir had asked a colleague in his presence to ensure a meeting with Motsepe regarding a possible mining deal in Lesotho.
“The whole intention was to bring him closer to us so that he could be kidnapped and forced to transfer money from his (Motsepe’s) accounts to fraudulently opened accounts and then be killed,” Mokwena stated.
Mokwena claimed he was conducting surveillance on Motsepe and that Krejcir claimed the police officials he had paid off would track the billionaire’s cellphone to assist.
The affidavit lists the police and court officials Mokwena claims were paid off to make cases against the Czech disappear. These include Major-General Shadrack Sibiya, the now suspended head of the Hawks; a Colonel van Heerden of the Hawks; Germiston Hawks officer Modise Saddam Maropeng, who was convicted alongside Krejcir for another case last year; a Captain du Plessis from Bedfordview; a Captain Mogale; and an unnamed magistrate who drove a maroon Range Rover.
Mokwena’s affidavit: the responses:
Neither the police nor the specialised Hawks unit would say anything about Lucky Mokwena’s claims, while individuals implicated denied all allegations.
The police redirected queries about the allegedly corrupt police officials to Hawks media spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, who said that the divisional commissioner of detectives, Lieutenant-General Kotsi Nkomo, would be in charge of the investigation into the allegations.
“We are not in a position to comment further,” said Mulaudzi.
Sibiya, through his lawyer Ian Levitt, said the allegations against him were “absolute nonsense”, with no truth to substantiate the claims whatsoever.
Agliotti also denied the allegations put forward by Mokwena.
Motsepe, through his spokeswoman, said he had never spoken with or had any business or other dealings with Krejcir or anyone associated with the Czech fugitive.
He also denied having pursued any mining interests in Lesotho.