Krejcir moved to high-security jail after audacious escape plot uncovered

Czech crime boss Radovan Krejcir was hurriedly moved to South Africa's most-secure prison last month as authorities uncovered yet another audacious escape plot - this one involving "SAPS items" left for him in a court holding cell.

Krejcir - a convicted felon facing a slew of charges - went to the Pietermaritzburg High Court last week to complain about "inhuman" conditions at the eBongweni C-Max prison in Kokstad.

He claimed that the most recent transfer from Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II Prison was because of meddling aimed at preventing him from getting adequate legal counsel.

Krejcir was convicted in 2015 of attempted murder, kidnapping and dealing in drugs. The matter related to the kidnapping and torture of Bheki Lukhele, whose brother, Doctor, had allegedly disappeared with 25kg of tik.

In his affidavit, Krejcir claimed: "I am not violent. My removal to Kokstad is simply an abuse of power," he wrote.

But a Department of Correctional Services official said the move was necessitated by a "security breach".

Details were not provided to the court "due to the sensitive nature of the investigation", the department's Sifiso Mabuza said in response to Krejcir's affidavit.

However, The Times has established via well-placed sources that the breach was, in fact, yet another escape attempt.

"He corrupted some officials," a source said this week. "He's always trying something."

According to the source, the escape was planned for June during one of Krejcir's appearances. The plan was, he said, that "some SAPS items" were to have been stashed in Krejcir's court cell.

These items apparently included police-branded clothing.

Department of Correctional Services spokesman Logan Maistry said: "The matter is under investigation by the SAPS."

Krejcir was moved to Kokstad in December last year as part of the 50-day Operation Vala, which attempts to stop prison escapes.

THE BREAKDOWN

• September 2015: Krejcir's cell is raided. In it prison officials discover a smorgasbord of jailbreak equipment including a pistol, Taser, pepper spray and cellphones.
• October 2015: Media reports tell of an alleged plot by Krejcir to escape from a female police officer who was to escort him to a doctor's appointment. Krejcir was to flee to Swaziland and then to Argentina.
• March 2016: Krejcir is accused of masterminding an escape from Zonderwater Prison.