Former Czech national and businessman Radovan Krejcir.
Three arrests were made on Thursday after police received a tip-off that an attempt on the lives of two of the men investigating Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir was going to take place, EyeWitness News reported.
A man was arrested before noon on Thursday and a man and a woman were arrested at 5pm at the Road Lodge, on Rivonia Road, in Rivonia, northern Johannesburg, the broadcaster reported.
It was thought they intended killing forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan and crime intelligence officer Colonel Nkosana "Killer" Ximba.
O'Sullivan told the broadcaster he was tipped off about the attempt on his life on Thursday morning.
Members of the task team investigating Krejcir were at the hotel on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier on Thursday, Krejcir's application to overturn an earlier ruling denying him bail was rejected by the High Court in Johannesburg.
Judge Leonie Windell said she was satisfied with Palm Ridge Regional Court magistrate Reginald Dama's decision on December 13 to deny Krejcir bail.
Arrest
Krejcir, Desai Luphondo, and two members of the Hawks, Warrant Officers Samuel Modise Maropeng and George Jeff Nthoroane, were arrested in November and face charges of kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder.
In the application, Krejcir's team questioned Dama's decision not to allow them to conduct cross-examination on an affidavit submitted by the South African Revenue Service.
Windell upheld Dama's decision on this point and agreed that Krejcir and his co-accused were charged under schedule five of the Criminal Procedure Act.
In terms of schedules five and six of the Criminal Procedure Act, an accused must show that it is in the interests of justice for them to be released on bail.
Those accused of schedule six offences must also show that exceptional circumstances exist to justify their release.
Schedules five and six offences include murder, rape, and robbery.
Evasion
Windell noted that Krejcir had previously fled countries to evade trial and out of fear that he would be killed.
"[Krejcir] faces similar circumstances in South Africa.
There have been at least two attempts on his life and two of his associates were killed," Windell said.
Krejcir had claimed he would not get a fair trial in South Africa, and had said he did not own assets in South Africa and had numerous business interests in other countries.
"Being a foreign national does not, in itself, preclude the court from granting bail," said Windell.
However, there were no suitable conditions that could be considered as an alternative to bail in this case.
Windell said that in the past, Krejcir had had no difficulty obtaining false travel documents and hiding from authorities.
She said one witness in the case had received death threats and his dogs had been killed.
Matter stand down
Krejcir's lawyer Francois Roets asked that the matter stand down until 2pm, so his team could seek leave to take the matter up with the Supreme Court of Appeal.
In June, Krejcir and his three co-accused allegedly kidnapped and assaulted a man whose brother, known only as Doctor, disappeared with a 25kg shipment of tik he had been recruited to help smuggle through OR Tambo International Airport.
They allegedly kept the man at Krejcir's Money Point business in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, for four days, and assaulted him.
Krejcir's wife Katerina Krejcirova was present in court and left after the judgment was read. – Sapa