The fraud trial of Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir has been set down for April next year in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Philip Venter said on Tuesday he was satisfied all parties were ready to proceed.
He would meet state prosecutor Riegal du Toit and defence attorney Eddie Classen in court on December 6 to “finalise all pre-trial issues”.
A trial was set down for April 16 to April 20. Krejcir (43) would remain out on R500 000 bail.
He left the court in a hurry on Tuesday, dressed in a black jacket and a shirt with jeans. He told reporters that he thought his trial would have started earlier. Krejcir and a male friend then sped away in a black Audi.
Insurance fraud charge
The fraud charge against him relates to a R4.5-million claim he made to an insurance company, using medical papers stating he had cancer.
His urologist Marian Tupy previously admitted to falsifying insurance documents so Krejcir could be paid out for bladder cancer.
Krejcir fought extradition to his home country in 2008, where he was sentenced in absentia to six and a half years for tax fraud. He was also charged with conspiracy to murder, counterfeiting, extortion and abduction.
Police raided his Bedfordview home in March to arrest him for fraud.
Krejcir was not home at the time, but later handed himself over to the police.
‘Hit list’
In his home, police found an alleged “hit” list naming Tupy, Du Toit, security consultant Paul O’Sullivan and underworld boss Cyril Beeka, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in April.
Du Toit was accompanied by three policemen on Tuesday as part of 24-hour protection assigned to him following the discovery of the list.
Last year, police “exchanged information” with Krejcir during their investigation into the murder of Teazers strip club owner Lolly Jackson, who also lived in Bedfordview.
Both Krejcir and Jackson’s business partner Mark Andrews had claims against Jackson’s estate, which was being handled by lawyer Ian Jordaan.
Jordaan presumed dead
A charred body, believed to be that of Jordaan, was found on top of his bakkie on the West Rand three weeks ago.
“We presumed that it was him but the identification hasn’t been positive, because the body was burnt and the teeth were removed,” Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said on Tuesday.
Andrews was reportedly suspected of involvement in the kidnapping and possible murder of Jordaan.
Andrews’ body was found two weeks ago next to the R59 road in Brackendowns, Alberton.
It is believed he was due to hand himself over to police in connection with the murder of Jordaan before he was killed. — Sapa