Extradition of Israeli fugitive discussed at first court appearance

The case of the Israeli gang leader attached to a criminal grouping called the Abergil Organisation was held in camera at the Randburg magistrate’s court on Friday.

An official believed to be from Interpol requested the media contingent to leave the courtroom, insisting the proceedings were being held in camera.

Members of the media only caught a glimpse of the 46-year-old  grey-haired suspect with neatly cut hair. 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane told journalists the court would deal with the matter in two stages.

“First it was the extradition matter, as information had already been circulated that the accused before court is sought by Israelis on charges of murder and attempted murder,” she said.

The case was postponed to Monday, when the accused would appear with seven other suspects who were arrested with him on Thursday, she said.

The group faces charges of possession of drugs, possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition.

Both cases were postponed, with Mjonondwane saying the NPA had an obligation to extradite the suspect.

She said since he was also facing criminal charges [in addition to the extradition matter], the processes would have to unfold and thereafter law enforcement would decide on the way forward.

The NPA has requested the media not to reveal the identity of the suspect, who is known to TimesLIVE, until all the outstanding issues have been resolved. 

She said the suspect’s extradition had been pending since 2019, when South Africa received extradition documents from Israel, but police on Thursday said he had been on Interpol’s Red Notice since 2015.

“Since 2019 he has been sought by Interpol, up until yesterday when he was arrested.”

Mjonondwane said the matter was held in camera for security reasons and the sensitivity of the investigations.

“Once those investigative issues have been sorted out, then we will obviously inform the court so that it can be open to the public as well as the media,” she said.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said on Thursday the suspect was wanted in Israel for conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

According to Israeli authorities, the suspect is part of a notorious gang allegedly dealing in drugs, extortion and other criminal activities.

In 2003 and 2004 the suspect allegedly placed a bomb under the vehicle of a man in Israel in two separate incidents. Five people sustained serious injuries in the first explosion but all survived.

On Thursday police seized:

• 3kg of drugs, suspected to be cocaine or crystal meth;
• 19 firearms, including two AK47s;
• six motorbikes, of which three have been positively identified as stolen;
• eight motor vehicles;
• four drones fitted with cameras;
• one frequency-jamming device;
• two bulletproof vests;
• two money-counting machines;
• a digital weight scale, allegedly to weigh drugs;
• four GPS tracking devices; and
• $40,000 (about R690,685) in cash.

TimesLIVE

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