Krejcir granted bail

By Khanyisa Tabata
08 April 2011

Johannesburg magistrate Phillip Venter has just granted fraud accused Radovan Krejcir bail in a multi-million-Rands insurance fraud case.

The amount of bail and the conditions are being determined. Venter says the State did not prove that Krejcir was a flight risk.

Regarding possible intimidation of witnesses, the magistrate ruled that the case before him had to do with fraud and not violence.

Venter said that he believed that the interests of justice would not be put at risk if Krejcir were released on bail. He submitted that it was safe to assume that the Czech Republic was the last place the accused would hide if he were to leave South Africa.

Venter said that the prosecution's contention that Krejcir would intimidate witnesses and may tamper with evidence was based merely on the say so of the investigating officer.

The application had been opposed by state prosecutor Riegal Du Toit and argued by advocate Mike Hellens acting on behalf of the accused.

Toit had submitted that Krejcir knew several of the state witnesses and where they lived, and could possibly attempt to influence or threaten them.