Krejcir: four years of murder, sleaze and mayhem

27 March 2011 - 01:42 By WERNER SWART and SASHNI PATHER
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Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir arrived in SA four years ago and set up a network involving strip club owners, gold and diamond dealers, hoodlums and top cops until, that is, the body count started to rise.

APRIL 21 2007: Radovan Krejcir arrives at OR Tambo International Airport from the Seychelles.

  • He is arrested on an Interpol notice despite having a false passport, but is granted bail.
  • For more than two years he remains mostly under the radar, setting up an elaborate network of contacts.

SEPTEMBER 2007: Krejcir lodges an application for refugee status.

  • This application is turned down a year later, although Krejcir launches other court actions to be granted political asylum.

DECEMBER 4 2009: Private investigator and information peddler Kevin Trytsman is shot dead by his attorney, George Michaelides, in Bedfordview.

  • Michaelides claims he acted in self defence, but is charged and released on bail. The case continues.
  • It emerges that Trytsman worked for Krejcir at some stage, but the two fell out.
  • George Smith, the man accused of shooting Lolly Jackson, allegedly "congratulates" Michaelides and tells him Krejcir also wants to do so.

FEBRUARY 8 2010: German supercar tuner Uwe Gemballa disappears after arriving in South Africa to set up a local franchise of his business.

  • Krejcir was to provide funding for the project, although it is alleged Gemballa was not told of his involvement.
  • Police say they are investigating Gemballa's disappearance.

MAY 3 2010: Charismatic strip club boss Lolly Jackson is killed at a house in Edenglen, Edenvale.

  • His "shooter" George Smith (Louca) goes to the Harbour Cafe straight afterwards where he tells Krejcir he had just killed Jackson.
  • Smith phones crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa to tell him what he had done. Mabasa and his cops arrive too late and Smith disappears.
  • Krejcir claims Smith phones him regularly and offers his assistance to police.
  • Jackson and Krejcir were close friends and were implicated in a money-laundering scheme.

SEPTEMBER 28 2010: Uwe Gemballa's body is discovered in a shallow grave in Lotus Gardens, Pretoria.

  • The Sunday Times reveals that one of Gemballa's killers, Thabiso Mpye, was sentenced to 20 years. His swift conviction forms part of a plea bargain in which he agrees to testify against others involved in the murder.


OCTOBER 10 2010: Businessman Christopher Couremetis is shot dead at a wedding at the Cradle of Humankind.

  • No arrests have been made in connection with his murder, although information now suggests he was somehow caught up in a web involving associates of Krejcir.
  • Couremetis was at one stage a neighbour of convicted druglord Glenn Agliotti - another "business" partner of Krejcir.

MARCH 16 2011: Urologist Marian Tupy pleads guilty to charges of fraud. Tupy admits to falsifying medical records to show Krejcir suffers from cancer. He receives a suspended sentence for turning state witness against Krejcir.

  • An arrest warrant for Krejcir is obtained.

MARCH 21 2011: Cyril Beeka is killed in a professional hit in Cape Town.

  • Beeka had links with both intelligence circles and the underworld and was once a close friend of Krejcir before a fight soured their relationship.

MARCH 22 2011: Krejcir's home is raided by the Hawks and it becomes official that he is wanted for questioning in connection with Gemballa's murder.

  • Police also say he is a prime suspect in the Jackson matter.

MARCH 24 2011: After three days of evading police capture, Krejcir finally hands himself over. He is expected to appear in court tomorrow (Monday) accused of fraud relating to the Tupy matter.

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