South Africa convicts Czech ‘mafia boss’

A South African court has found Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir guilty of attempted murder and kidnapping. Krejcir and his co-accused, two of whom are part of the Hawks elite police unit, had pleaded not guilty to the charges. This is the first conviction against Krejcir, 46, who faces four separate trials in South Africa. Media […]

A South African court has found Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir guilty of attempted murder and kidnapping.
Krejcir and his co-accused, two of whom are part of the Hawks elite police unit, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
This is the first conviction against Krejcir, 46, who faces four separate trials in South Africa.
Media have described him as a “mafia boss” but he denies links to the criminal underworld.
Krejcir allegedly ordered the kidnap of Bheki Lukhele, whose brother had allegedly disappeared with 25kg (55lbs) of drugs.
He was arrested by police at his home in Johannesburg in late 2013 over the incident.
The businessman is also wanted in the Czech Republic, where he was convicted in absentia last year over tax fraud.
Krejcir moved to South Africa in 2007, where he is applying for asylum.
He says he will be killed if he is forced to return to the Czech Republic.