Johannesburg - Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir was apparently planning to use the firearm found in his cell to shoot police officers escorting him to court in order to escape from prison.
Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan said he received information while he was out of the country about Krejcir’s alleged plot. He immediately alerted police.
“I warned them that the escape was planned for next week or upon his (Krejcir’s) next visit out of the prison at Zonderwater. I gave the ‘probability’ of an attempt as greater than 95 percent,” O’Sullivan told The Star on Sunday.
On Sunday, Correctional Services spokesman Manelisi Wolela confirmed they had foiled an escape plan on Saturday by Zonderwater Correctional Centre inmates that included Krecjir.
“A number of illegal items were discovered and confiscated in different cells,” he said.
“The illegal items included cellphones and chargers, a knife, stun devices, correctional officials’ uniforms, as well as a firearm and ammunition,” Wolela said.
Krejcir’s nemesis O’Sullivan said Krejcir planned to use the pistol to shoot the cops who escorted him to court.
“This is worse than a movie,” O’Sullivan said, also alleging that there were certain officials who had been helping Krejcir with the escape plan.
He, however, could not release the names as it could jeopardise investigations.
Wolela said an internal and external investigation had been launched by the Department of Correctional Services and the SAPS.
National police spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said a case of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition as well as conspiracy to escape from prison had been opened.
Krejcir is facing a charge of conspiracy to murder O’Sullivan and top cop Colonel Nkosana “Killer” Ximba.
He is also facing a litany of charges and was recently found guilty of kidnapping, drug dealing and attempted murder.
He and his co-accused were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of Bhekithemba Lukhele, whose brother Bhekisizwe Doctor Nkosi had apparently stolen a large supply of crystal meth worth millions of rand from Krejcir and then fled.
The loot was originally set to be sold in Australia.
He is expected to be sentenced next month. It is believed that Krejcir was planning to escape during his next court appearance.
The Czech is also scheduled to stand trial for the murder of Phumlani Ncube, a Zimbabwean debt collector who was killed in July 2013.
Ncube’s bullet-riddled body was found near a farm in Heidelberg in 2013.
According to sources, Ncube, who lived in Norwood, allegedly worked for Krejcir as his debt collector.
It is alleged that Krejcir organised a hit on him after he had a fallout with Ncube.
He was allegedly shot and killed at a house in Joburg before his body was dumped in the veld near a farm in Heidelberg.
The debt collector was buried in Zimbabwe.
Krejcir also faces charges for the murder of alleged Ekurhuleni drug dealer Sam Issa, who was gunned down in Bedfordview in 2013.
Issa, also known as The Cripple and Black Sam, died when his Audi Quattro 7 was sprayed with bullets near his home.
The Star