Radovan Krejcir has been found guilty of both attempted murder and kidnapping, the verdict handed down in the High Court in Johannesburg today.

Krejcir, along with his four co-accused (Desai Luphondo, Warrant Officer Samuel Modise Maropeng, Jan Lefu Mofokeng and Siboniso Miya), was found guilty of the attempted murder of Bheki Lukhele. Bheki had been targeted after his brother allegedly duped Krejcir out of R70 000 and a massive shipment of tik. TimesLive reports:

During the trial‚ [Doctor Nkosi, Bheki’s brother] told the court how he was approached to ensure a bag allegedly filled with drugs reached Australia. He said he was paid R6‚500 for two trial runs to send bags to Australia in 2012. Both failed. When he realised he was “involved in dangerous things”‚ he demanded R250‚000.

Nkosi said he agreed to a third attempt to send the bag in June last year. He was given R70‚000 and when the balance was not forthcoming‚ he decided to keep the bag. He then made plans with an airport security officer to sell the contents.

Lukele‚ an East Rand businessman‚ testified in court that police officers used their badges to kidnap him from his house.

They then bound his hands with cable ties‚ blindfolded him and took him to Krejcir’s Bedfordview Money Point office in Johannesburg where he was tortured.

He alleges that Krejcir poured boiling water over his head and demanding to know the location of his brother, the burns suffered so severe that his skin started peeling.

Krejcir still faces a number of charges in South African courts and this may be the first of many convictions for the Czech national.

[source:timeslive]