FILE PICTURE: Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir looks on in the Palm Ridge Magistrates court in Johannesburg 09 June 2014. Picture: Refilwe Modise
The 21 missing pages of a statement by Bulgarian Lyubomir Borislavov Grigorov – Radovan Krejcir’s former co-accused – became the subject of an argument during Krejcir’s murder trial in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg yesterday.
Grigorov was testifying about how Krejcir would give vehicles to co-accused Siboniso Miya and how Miya took a Ford Ranger double cab to Honeydew, west of Johannesburg, in 2013 to be outfitted with blue lights and a siren in Honeydew at a cost of R20 000.
“[Krejcir] told me to take the money from the office drawer and give it to Miya,” said Grigorov, adding the transaction had taken place at Moneypoint, Krejcir’s gold and diamond exchange business in Bedfordview, east of Johannesburg.
Nearly a week later, Miya returned with the vehicle.
It was while Grigorov was explaining how the newly installed system worked that a visibly irritated advocate Enrico Guarneri for Miya stood up to place on record Grigorov’s testimony was news to him.
Calling Grigorov’s revelations a “trial by ambush”, Guarneri – supported by the other defence advocates – decried not having the information, especially as it directly involved his client.
“It makes a mockery of the justice system to call this a fair trial,” Guarneri charged. “I’m going to need a lot more time to consult with my client.”
“I submit my clients right to challenge the witnesses evidence is being severely infringed by the fact we have not been given his full statement.”
The missing pages had been kept back during discovery by prosecutor Lawrence Gcaba after a successful application wherein he had argued it would prejudice Grigorov in his upcoming trial for conspiracy to commit murder on forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan and Crime Intelligence Colonel Nkosana Ximba.
Krejcir was not in court yesterday as he was dealing with medical issues, and it left Miya, Nkanyiso Mafunda and Simphiwe Memela to face the music in court.
The four are accused of murdering Bassam Boutrous ‘Sam’ Issa on October 12, 2013, in Bedfordview, and also face two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit robbery with aggravating circumstances, robbery with aggravating circumstances, two counts of unlawful possession of firearm(s) and two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition.
The trial is expected to proceed next week Thursday.
– amandaw@citizen.co.za
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