Czech fraud suspect Radovan Krejcir, out on bail for an alleged R4,5-million insurance scam, has denied claims that he was responsible for the murder of security boss Cyril Beeka.
“I never been involved in this Beeka murder and, at the end of the day, Beeka was my friend, very good friend of mine — I felt very uncomfortable because I couldn’t go to his funeral,” Krejcir told eNews in an interview in Johannesburg.
Cyril Beeka, a bouncer turned businessman, died in a hail of bullets on March 12, while travelling in a BMW through Bellville South in Cape Town.
Police say a motorcyclist pulled up alongside the car and opened fire on the vehicle. No one has been charged with his murder.
Among other business interests at the time of his death, Beeka was managing various security companies providing protection to Cape Town clubs, pubs and escort agencies.
It has emerged he had ties with the intelligence services, including links to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
In 2007, he accompanied intelligence boss Mo Shaik to the African National Congress’ elective conference in Polokwane as a minder.
Last year, the Star newspaper reported that Beeka saw the prime suspect in the Lolly Jackson murder case on the night the Teazers strip club owner was shot dead.
Twelve years ago, Beeka appeared in court accused of murder. At the time, he was alleged to be a key figure behind protection rackets in Cape Town’s clubland.
The Hawks raided Krejcir’s home a day after Beeka’s murder but failed to arrest the Czech, who handed himself over to the police two days later.
Krejcir now claims he evaded arrest that night because he was warned about the raid by someone working with security consultant Paul O’Sullivan.
He said he was told that the Hawks were looking for a hit list.
“I knew it, this idea about the hit list three days before the raid. One friend of mine visited me here in the Harbour on Saturday and he told me that he received some information that [security consultant] Paul O’Sullivan had created, that I wrote some hit list at my house.”
Krejcir said he believed the hit list was “rumours and gossip”.
“I cannot explain how come this hit list came on the story but clearly for me because we ask for the prosecutor to show us this hit list and he never did and they don’t want to proceed with this hit list, so I just believe it’s rumours and gossip.”
Krejcir claims he took two days to hand himself over to police because he had misgivings about O’Sullivan’s involvement in the raid on his home.
“The reason that I didn’t stay in the house [was that] I couldn’t imagine that Sullivan could be in charge for some raid with the police.”
The Hawks have denied there was anything untoward about O’Sullivan’s involvement in the Krejcir raid.
O’Sullivan said he was determined to challenge the restraining order obtained against him by Krejcir’s lawyers, who he has accused of threatening him.
That court battle is scheduled for April 26. — Sapa