South Africans have grown used to the wheels of justice turning rather slowly, and the case of Radovan Krejcir is a good example of that.

He certainly hasn’t enjoyed his time behind bars, complaining about the “African” food and crummy mattress, whilst his lawyer pushes the narrative that he should be shipped back to the Czech Republic because he may try and escape.

Shame.

The criminal trial continues to stall, although we have learnt some new details this week. Times LIVE reporting on those:

On Friday, Krejcir appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court for yet another of his criminal trials, this time facing charges relating to an alleged plot to escape from Zonderwater prison that would have seen dozens of armed men storm the prison to bust him from his cell, commit strategic murders to distract authorities, and smuggle him out of the country.

While the alleged plot was foiled years ago, the proceedings have moved at a snail’s pace over the past three years since the charges were instituted, with not even a trial date set due to dozens of postponements – many triggered by Krejcir himself.

However, on Friday, Krejcir once again stalled proceedings, with his legal representative, Jeff Mendelson, telling the court that the Czech was unable to secure funds to pay counsel to argue the criminal trial.

The reason, he claimed, was that the department of correctional services (DCS) had repeatedly denied Krejcir phone access to his mother, Nadezda Krejcirova, who was responsible for wiring money to him from the Czech Republic.

Must be humbling to go from gangster kingpin to relying on your mom to wire you money.

Mendelson, his legal rep, once again talked up the horrid prison conditions facing Krejcir, including 23 hours a day cooped up in his cell with limited exercise, and said that his psychologist was considering sending him to Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital as she said he may be suicidal.

According to prosecutor Jacob Serepo, there’s a reason Krejcir is kept in his cell and separated from other prisoners:

He said a “new police uniform” was found in his cell in 2018, and that alongside the allegations contained in Friday’s criminal proceedings, it was understandable as to why he was being monitored so closely.

Earlier in 2019, Times Select reported how DCS had accused Krejcir of once again trying to escape from custody, but gave scant detail about the plot. However, at the time, Krejcir claimed through his lawyer that this was nothing more than an elaborate attempt to keep him from securing better prison conditions.

Quite tough to claim you’re being unfairly victimised when authorities find a police uniform in your cell.

Krejcir is currently serving 34 years behind bars, although a number of criminal cases against him continue.

[source:timeslive]