Krejcir case continues

Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir. File picture: Chris Collingridge

Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir. File picture: Chris Collingridge

Published Aug 11, 2014

Share

Johannesburg - The trial of Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir and five others continued on Monday at the High Court in Johannesburg, sitting in Palm Ridge.

Annelene van den Heever, for Krejcir and Desai Luphondo, picked up on her cross-examination of Captain Bongani Gininda.

Prior to her cross-examination, she requested that Judge Colin Lamont make an order to make certain evidence available in court which would be necessary in the trial.

Earlier, logistical issues caused delays as evidence in the form of a logbook and a diary were not present in court.

Lamont temporarily adjourned the matter for the documents to be obtained.

The trial was adjourned last week Wednesday to give the same witness time to furnish the logbook, diary and his car tracking records.

Only the car records had been provided thus far.

The trial-within-a-trial came about after Luphondo alleged that he was assaulted and influenced by police into making a confession.

Gininda has testified that he came in as an independent police officer to take down the confession.

He has told the court he had asked Luphondo whether he was assaulted or influenced prior to taking the statement.

Luphondo denied it and signed a document confirming this, Gininda said.

He also told the court he saw no physical evidence suggesting that Luphondo was assaulted.

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

They allegedly recruited a man known as Doctor Nkosi to help smuggle 25kg of tik (methamphetamine) to Australia.

He worked for a cargo company at OR Tambo International Airport, when he disappeared with the shipment.

Krejcir and his co-accused allegedly then kidnapped and tortured his brother, Bheki Lukhele, in a bid to have him reveal his sibling's whereabouts.

Nkosi has also testified in the trial, where he confessed to stealing the drugs.

Sapa

Related Topics: