The legal counsel of Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir plans to approach the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to have security consultant Paul O’Sullivan interdicted from making threats against him in the media.
“It has come to our attention that private investigator Mr Paul O’Sullivan, who claims to be largely responsible for the investigation against Mr Krejcir and who was also involved in the search-and-seizure operation at Mr Krejcir’s residence, was publicly making threats in the media against the legal representatives of Mr Krejcir,” the businessman’s attorney, Piet du Plessis, said in an email to the South African Press Association (Sapa) on Tuesday.
O’Sullivan’s alleged attack on the legal counsel was without merit and was regarded as being in bad taste, he said.
“Our firm will not allow Mr O’Sullivan to drag us into a mudslinging match of low morality.
“We were never and will never be deterred in our duty by any threats of violence or any other underhand tactics by people dissatisfied with the dedication we approach our profession with.”
‘Threatening our personal safety’
Du Plessis claimed that O’Sullivan had threatened his life and that of his family in an email he received at 11.35am on Tuesday, shortly after Krejcir made a low-key appearance at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
“From the contents of the said email, it is unfortunately clear that Mr O’Sullivan … is now threatening the personal safety not only to myself but also my wife and family as well as my colleagues,” he said.
“It has to also be pointed out that this is the same person who members of the elite Hawks chose to take with them on their search-and-seizure operation at the house of Mr Krejcir.”
Du Plessis said the attack in the media was not only aimed at his firm, BDK Attorneys, but at other lawyers who had represented Krejcir in the past.
He said his firm had only recently become involved in Krejcir’s defence and that matters pertaining to his refugee status and his extradition were dealt with by other law firms.
“Our firm, therefore, in the past, had very limited relations with Mr Krejcir as a client and any such business was attended to by Mr Ian Small-Smith, who has since November 2009 only been a consultant for our firm.”
O’ Sullivan told Sapa that this was the first he had heard of the allegations.
“First time I’m hearing this. If they are saying that, they are lying. It’s all lies. I can’t say much more than that because I’m in a meeting. Just email me.”
Prison move
Earlier, the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court ordered that Krejcir be removed from Leeuwkop Prison and placed in Boksburg Prison as Leeuwkop, north of Johannesburg, was for convicted and sentenced prisoners.
The case was postponed to April 7 for a bail application.
Krejcir (42) is being held on a charge of fraud, but is also being investigated in connection with a series of murders.
These include the death of underworld boss Cyril Beeka, who was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Cape Town last week.
An alleged hit list was found during the raid at Krejcir’s house in Bedfordview last Tuesday.
On the list were the names of Beeka, O’Sullivan, state prosecutor Riegal du Toit and a urologist.
Beeka was allegedly at the top of the list.
The fraud charge relates to a R4,5-million claim Krejcir allegedly made to an insurance company after obtaining medical papers stating he had cancer. — Sapa