South African authorities have arrested the former head of Slovakia’s secret police, who has spent two years in hiding, police said on Monday.
South African authorities declined to give more information, but Slovak’s Justice Ministry said Ivan Lexa was carrying a fake passport when he was detained on Sunday on an international arrest warrant.
The warrant accuses Lexa of abuse of power, kidnapping the former Slovak president’s son and other crimes he committed as head of the secret service, Slovak Justice Minister Jan Carnogursky told The Associated Press.
Interpol, the international police force, had been searching for Lexa since 2000.
Lexa was a key supporter of former authoritarian Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar. Lexa headed the secret service until Meciar left office in 1998. He then became a lawmaker, but had his parliamentary immunity revoked two years ago.
Carnogursky said Lexa could be extradited to Slovakia within weeks or months.
Lexa has been charged with the 1995 kidnapping of Michal Kovac Jr. The ex-president’s son was held for several hours before being released across the border in Austria.
Shortly before leaving office, Meciar pardoned all those who participated in the kidnapping. However, in an equally controversial move, his successor, Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, cancelled Meciar’s amnesty.
Lexa has also been accused of misusing money and making unspecified weapons deals as head of the secret service. – Sapa-AP