Gavric may abscond, after all 'he's done it already': State

The risk is high that Serbian fugitive Dobrosav Gavric will abscond if released on bail, the Cape Town Magistrate's Court heard.

State advocate Dave Damerell told that court: "He's done it already."

He was referring to the fact that Gavric absconded and fled from Serbia to South Africa to avoid a 35 year prison sentence for three premeditated murders.

Gavric was arrested last year, pending extradition proceedings, after the Serbian authorities requested his detention in South Africa.

He has since launched a bail application on which Cape Town magistrate Joe Magele will making a ruling on February 3.

Damerell said Gavric's predicament was of his own making "and certain agencies have had to take action against him".

He was found guilty by a Serbian court of killing the warlord known as Arkan in Belgrade.

The home affairs department said on Thursday he had been declared "a prohibited person" in South Africa.

Director general Mkuseli Apleni said Gavric's wife Danijela Lazic and a child had also been listed as undesirable persons.

This meant that Gavric, who entered the country under the alias of Sasa Kovacevic, had failed in his bid for refugee status and faced deportation.