Cops falsely accused to get R2.25m

May 13 2009 at 09:00am
By Zelda Venter
In one of the highest payouts by the police in an unlawful arrest damages claim, the SAPS on Tuesday agreed to pay a total of R2,25-million in damages to three top cops who were falsely implicated in a R14-million diamond robbery three years ago.

The three were proud policemen who had between them devoted 54 years to the SAPS.

They feel they were disgraced.

Pretoria High Court deputy Judge President Jerry Shongwe made on Tuesday's agreement an order of court. In terms of the settlement, Inspector Herbert Makgatho, formerly of the Johannesburg anti-hijacking unit, Inspector Jabulani Mnisi, and Sergeant Samuel Bopape (both formerly stationed in Sandton) will each receive R750 000 in damages.

But for these three, the money could never repay them for the wrongs they were done.

Bopape was so disillusioned by the force for which he gave 17 years of his life, that he immediately resigned. He is now working as a vendor in Limpopo.

Mnisi, who had been a cop for 20 years, said his father died of a heart attack, thinking his son was a criminal. Makgatho said he was an old-school policeman who in the 17 years of service tried his utmost to protect the community.

Mnisi and Makgatho, after being vindicated, returned to the jobs which had been their passion, but they now fear for their lives.

Their lawyer, Gideon Ferreira, who requested that their faces not be identified on the picture taken outside court, said they also feared intimidation due to the "internal fights within the police".

"They are in fear of their lives and of being intimidated," he said.

Allegations were made in court papers by their legal representative that the three were "framed" in connection with the multi-million rand armed robbery in Sandton in 2006, which was committed by a group posing as policemen.

It further emerged that the investigating officer at the time knew the identities of some of those responsible for the daring daylight robbery, yet failed to arrest them.

It was claimed by the investigation team that Makgatho could be identified on video footage taken at the time of the crime on the scene.

But it emerged that he was mistaken for someone else and that he was never on the scene.

He was also falsely identified at an identification parade. Makgatho stated that he was at the time busy investigating a "chop-shop" as part of his police duties. This was collaborated by his colleagues at the anti-hijacking unit, but these facts were ignored by the investigating officer.

Mnisi was also busy with official duties at the time, while Bopape was out of town, visiting his family in Limpopo.

The three were denied bail following their arrest.

This was partially due to the recommendations by the investigating officer, Inspector Ludi Schnelle, of the organised crime investigating unit, who during Makgatho's bail application disputed the authenticity of the CD rom with the video footage of the robbery, and on which it was apparently clear that Makgatho was not on the scene.

Schnelle at the time said he feared that the accused could interfere with his investigation.

The presiding magistrate, in refusing bail, said there was a prima facie case against the accused.

He said "this was an extremely hideous crime committed by police in uniform and armed with assault rifles and pistols". He added "these people are an extreme danger to the public and should be kept in custody until the law has taken its course".

The result was that the three were kept in the Johannesburg Prison among criminals who they had arrested themselves.

They said the more than three months they were in jail were a harrowing ordeal.

They were also suspended from their duties without pay.

Many questions and no answers seem to riddle the investigation, which include why their alibis were not investigated, why the video footage was not shown to the court and why DNA and forensic tests were not conducted on the uniforms and firearms which were confiscated following the robbery.

A Senior Superintendent Cole at the time expressed his concerns regarding the investigation in a letter to high-ranking officials, in which he said: "It is my opinion that members of organised crime deliberately perverted the course of justice in unlawfully arresting Inspector Makgatho... and failing to submit relevant evidence before the prosecutor."

He also accused the investigating officer of deliberately deceiving the prosecutor and legal services by not making certain information available. He pointed out various "irregularities".

This was especially after a notorious suspect - one Hertz - who was implicated in various other crimes, implicated himself in the robbery.

He said "Hertz" could be clearly identified on the video footage as an active participant in the robbery with seven other accomplices dressed in police uniform. Instead of being arrested, Hertz was released by organised crime without being charged, he said.

In spite of all this information being available, the three cops remained in detention.

The three told the Pretoria News that after spending more than three months in jail, they were told one day that their case had been thrown out and they could go home. "We actually wanted our day in court because we wanted answers. We were set up, but up to now we don't know why," Makgatho said.

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Police ‘paid by Czech’: South Africa:
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Published: 22 hours ago - Source: City Press

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Phil Radichaba Mohlahlane, the controversial former Land Bank chief, was picked up by the police again on charges of fraud and forgery.
City Press editor-in-chief Ferial Haffajee won the National Press Club’s editor of the year award for 2010.
Police ‘paid by Czech’

Julian Rademeyer
Fugitive Czech millionaire ­Radovan Krejcir allegedly “bought” influence and protection from police, and top cops are now spying on each other amid an investigation to identify the allegedly corrupt ­officials.

The alleged “mob boss” is ­currently the subject of a wide­ranging probe by the Hawks into a number of corruption cases ­involving senior police crime ­intelligence officers in ­Gauteng.

Krejcir is alleged to have paid top cops to make criminal cases “go away” and to intimidate ­members of the Johannesburg ­underworld.

Krejcir’s attorney, Piet du ­Plessis, on Friday dismissed the allegations as “gossip”.

It has emerged that Hawks ­investigators have evidence that their phones are being tapped by police crime intelligence operatives, and that information about their investigation into Krejcir is being leaked.

Asked about the phone-tapping, a senior police official said: “It is happening.

They (certain crime intelligence officers) are trying to make sure they can listen to ­anyone involved in the case.

This is a clear example of abuse of ­power – when someone uses state resources to listen to fellow police officers.”

Another senior police officer said he was “absolutely shocked”.

“These are our own people ­tapping our phones.”

Krejcir, who is applying for asylum in South Africa, was this week implicated in a R4.5-million medical insurance scam by his former private physician.

Dr Marian Tupy pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud and was ­sentenced to seven years ­in prison, suspended for five years, as part of a plea agreement in ­exchange for his testimony against Krejcir.

In a damning affidavit, Tupy ­alleges that Krejcir coerced him into falsely diagnosing him with cancer, allowing him to claim R4?579?600 from Liberty Life.

Krejcir also allegedly hoped to use the false “cancer diagnosis” as the basis of an appeal for a presidential ­pardon from the Czech ­Republic.

Reportedly fearing for his life, Tupy approached crime-buster and security expert Paul O’Sullivan – the man whose investigations led to the conviction of former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi on corruption charges – and gave him a copy of Krejcir’s medical file.

Du Plessis said he had been aware of Tupy’s allegations for months and had written to the ­Directorate of Public Prosecutions requesting an opportunity to ­respond to them.

“Our guy (Krejcir) has done nothing wrong,” Du Plessis said.

But as the net continues to close around Krejcir, investigators are tightening security around key witnesses.

Apparently a Czech national, identified as “Milash” and ­described as “a professional hit man” is in South Africa, allegedly to kill O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan said he was aware of the existence of “Milash”.

“I am taking steps to see to it that ‘Milash’ is arrested and charged, very soon.”

Krejcir is also being investigated in connection with the ­disappearance and murder of ­millionaire German businessman Uwe Gemballa in February last year.

Gemballa’s body was found in a ­shallow grave in Lotus Gardens last September.

In an affidavit, Tupy claims that Krejcir boasted about his role in the Gemballa murder 10 days after the millionaire’s disappearance.

One of the lead investigators in the Gemballa murder inquiry, ­Detective Inspector Ludi Schnelle, is facing a disciplinary inquiry and has been transferred out of the Hawks after a crucial piece of evidence seized at the murder scene went missing.

Hawks’ spokesperson Colonel McIntosh Polela said video ­camera footage showed that Schnelle had failed to book in as police evidence a ­laptop he had taken from the house.

There are claims that Schnelle left the laptop in his office and it was subsequently stolen.

Polela said Schnelle was ­removed from the case in line with a standing order implemented last year to combat high levels of ­evidence and docket theft.

“Schnelle lost a very important exhibit in a massive case, so he had to go,” Polela said.

Schnelle could not be reached for comment.

Other Stories in South Africa...

Schabir Shaik should consider attending an anger management class to bring his infamous temper under control, psychologists say.
Walter Selala was allegedly kidnapped, hit with iron bars and had nails driven into his feet by members of the vigilante group, Mapogo a Mathamaga. ... Read more at City Press

Radovan Krejcir, Detective Inspector Ludi Schnelle, Julian Rademeyer Fugitive Czech, Tupy, Du Plessis, Sullivan, South Africa, Uwe Gemballa, Hawks, Milash, National Press Club, McIntosh Polela, R4, Lotus Gardens, German, Colonel, Mapogo A Mathamaga, Selala, Shaik, Stories, Paul, Piet, Johannesburg, Gauteng, Marian Tupy

saDailynews24

End of line for fugitive?
Affidavit detailing fraud may finally bring an end to Radovan Krejcir's run-around with the law.

Anatomy of a murder
Sam Sole, Stefaans Brummer and Ilham Rawoot
Nov 12 2010
Killer’s plea bargain casts a spotlight on Czech fugitive and his associates.
German businessman Uwe Gemballa suffocated to death and died in agony -- his mouth and nose were sealed with duct tape and his hands and feet were bound, while his killer sat on his chest during his death throes.

Gemballa was met at OR Tambo Airport on February 8 this year by an unidentified man. He was abducted.

Shortly afterwards Gemballa called his wife in Germany and asked her to transfer €1-million into an account.

Because he spoke in English she was suspicious and alerted the police rather than making the payment. She never heard from her husband again.

The bid to arrest those who ordered Gemballa's murder is taking a long time, given that on September 27 his killer, Thabiso Mpye, took police to where his body was buried and has cooperated in exchange for a reduced sentence.

Investigating officer Ludi Schnelle is not talking, but an idea of the shape of his investigation is provided by the details contained in Mpye's plea and sentence agreement, which includes a list of potential witnesses.

The document suggests police are focusing on allegations linking Gemballa to millionaire Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir.

In particular:
At least eight of the 27 persons on the witness list are associates of Krejcir, who himself is witness number 15.

The plea states Gemballa was murdered at a house occupied by Ivan Savov, a man who manages businesses held in the name of Krejcir’s wife.

One witness, Jerome Safi, who works for Krejcir, was instrumental in getting Gemballa to travel to South Africa.
Krejcir’s connection with Gemballa is a matter of some dispute. He admits to having met the German sports-car stylist only once, in about 1995, at a motor show in Prague.

He claims he never did any business with Gemballa and disputes the allegations of his (Krejcir’s) former business associate, Juan Meyer.

Meyer, witness number three, runs a gold refinery in which Krejcir was intending to invest.

He claims that the Czech told him he was using cars imported from Gemballa to smuggle cash into South Africa.

In an affidavit Meyer alleges that in September last year he overheard an angry exchange on the phone between Krejcir and Gemballa about money owed to Krejcir.

Krejcir says this is nonsense and insists he legally brought about R100-million into the country via the South African Reserve Bank, so has no need to smuggle. He adds that Meyer’s version is tainted by his own legal problems.

One of Krejcir's associates, Safi, admits that he contacted Gemballa about setting up a South African franchise of Gemballa's sports car business.

Safi also states that Krejcir was aware of the proposal and was, with Teazers boss Lolly Jackson (who was murdered), putting up money for the business. Krejcir confirms this.

However, nowhere in correspond- ence between Safi and Gemballa is Krejcir's involvement mentioned. The correspondence suggests Gem- balla believed he was travelling to South Africa to meet a "Jerome Saphire", although Safi told the Mail & Guardian that the name Saphire was merely an error by his girlfriend, Tenielle Dippenaar, who typed the correspondence for him.

Both Safi and Dippenaar are listed as witnesses.
Safi said this week that Gemballa was originally scheduled to arrive later in February, and that Krejcir and Jackson were going to pay for the trip.

"I phoned him and said ... my girlfriend [Dippenaar], a travel agent, will make arrangements."

Safi said that later Gemballa phoned back to say he had to come sooner for another meeting.

"He said to me, 'I'm meeting one of my Angolan partners in SA who I have a franchise with in Angola.'"

However, Gemballa's Angolan partner, Alcibiades Kussumua, has denied this.

Kussumua, the son of the Angolan Welfare Minister, Joao Baptista Kussumua, told the M&G he was not aware of Gemballa's trip and had not arranged any meeting with the German.

The plea agreement says Mpye assisted "other perpetrators whose identities are known to the state" in kidnapping Gemballa at OR Tambo, after which he was taken to a house at 64 1st Avenue, Edenvale, where Mpye later murdered him.

This house is rented by Savov, who works for the Krejcir family as a "project manager".

Savov is a Bulgarian who came to South Africa about five years ago. Approached by the M&G at the house in Edenvale, he said the matter was a "little bit sensitive".

He claimed he spent most of his time outside the country and may have been away at the time of the murder: "I would have to go through the books."

He referred further questions to Rudi Krause of BDK attorneys. BDK also represents Krejcir. Krause declined to comment.

Michael Arsiotis, witness number 16, is understood to be a Greek Cypriot. Krejcir confirms Arsiotis is his employee.

Witnesses Nicos Katsaris and Colin Sibanda were both associated with the Harbour Fish Market restaurant in Bedfordview, Krejcir's favourite hangout.

Katsaris, a Facebook friend of Arsiotis’s brother, Giannis, has apparently moved to Cape Town.

Sibanda is a former waiter at the Harbour.

Witness number two, Etienne Boshoff, is understood to have done training for Krejcir at his Money point gold and diamond pawnshops, though Krejcir denies knowing him.

Witness Marian Tupy is Krejcir’s personal doctor.

Krejcir comes out smoking
Radovan Krejcir won't sit out of sight of his graphite-hued stealth machine, a supercar so souped-up that his associate describes it as "once a Ferrari".

Casual in jeans, a striped blue designer shirt and two days' stub-ble, the man the Mail & Guardian dubbed "the mobster at the gates" demands to know why we don't call him "Radovan the family man".

Krejcir leaves hardly a gap between his cigarettes, which he does not light himself.

Krejcir's associate, next to him on the café verandah, passes him lit cigarettes whenever his hands start fiddling with his Coke Lite.

Here is Krejcir’s version.

On claims that he had a money-laundering-relationship-turned-sour with German businessman Uwe Gemballa:

"I saw Gemballa once in my life for a couple of minutes at a car show in Prague in 1995 ... It was by accident because it was the big car expo and I love my cars, you know what I mean. So I like these toys and I like the conversions for the cars ... This is how I met him and the first and last time I saw him, not only saw him, even talked to him. But maybe it is the reason why I want to kill him, because I saw him 15 years ago?

"... If I were in touch with Gemballa, his wife must know, his friends must know, his business partners must know that he’s talking to Radovan or somebody from Radovan. It's obvious. So let's speak to these people, ask them if they ever heard about the fucking Radovan. I’m sick and tired of this explanation."

On his involvement in an agency agreement proposed to Gemballa by Jerome Safi (Krejcir’s cigarette-lighting associate), the deal that brought Gemballa on his fatal trip to South Africa:

"The whole story was that I ended up with this idea from Jerome. He came to visit me and he offered me if I am willing to support financially the business with the conversion of the cars and I told him if he will organise the exclusive contract with Gemballa ... I am willing to [invest].

I had the meeting with Jerome for half an hour when he told me this is the opportunity. For this half an hour I have six months' life in hell from you guys."

On Gemballa allegedly having been murdered at the home of Ivan Savov, another Krejcir associate:

"What I know about Savov is that he's a project manager working for a hundred people, actually he’s not working for me, but he's working for my wife, she’s got the ... companies, and Savov what he's doing only is take care of these companies which belong to my wife, from the account- ant point of view and [legal] point of view... I know Ivan is the family man, is the businessman, is the guy who never will be involved."

On the many officially named witnesses in the murder investigation connected to him:

"The whole story is from these 27 people I know five, including me."

On former business partner Juan Meyer:

"I never, ever spoke with Juan Meyer about Gemballa, that's a fact and I swear on my son's life... "So, all of these accusations of Juan Meyer, that I said that I bring money through the cars and money laundering and everything [are false].

"I brought so far to this country R100-million through the Reserve Bank officially ... Why I must bring the money through some cars which
I never imported to this country?"

Mail & Guardian

Comments by Sonny

This whole article reeks of Russian Mafia operatives from the Eastern Block!


LUDI SCHNELLE
10-20-2002, 09:40 AM
" HI,I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO ESTABLISH THE EXACT YEAR MODEL OF MY SUZUKI DT 85 MOTOR, IT HAS A SERIAL NUMBER 8501 104214 ON A TAG, THERE IS ANOTHER TAG AND I CANNOT SEE ANY PRINTING ON IT, THE MOTOR IS WHITE IN COLOUR WITH ORANGE STRIPES, IT IS OIL INJECTED AND HAS HYDRAULIC TILT. NEXT PROBLEM IS THAT IT DOES NOT WANT TO START AT ALL, THE MOTORTURNS OVER FINE, I HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT THERE IS NO FIRE ON ANY PLUG, COULD IT BE THE HITACHI CD IGNITION UNIT? I NEED HELP!!! THANX. "

Say no more....
I started this blog with the intention to try and raise awareness of the silent genocide of whites in South Africa, as well as the incredible things that seem to come out of the mouths of politicians in this country. Most of what is on here is news articles. Many people deny there is anything going on. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Monday, March 21, 2011
Police 'paid by Czech'
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Police-paid-by-Czech-20110320

Johannesburg - Fugitive Czech millionaire ­Radovan Krejcir allegedly “bought” influence and protection from police, and top cops are now spying on each other amid an investigation to identify the allegedly corrupt officials.

The alleged “mob boss” is currently the subject of a wide- ranging probe by the Hawks into a number of corruption cases involving senior police crime ­intelligence officers in Gauteng.

Krejcir is alleged to have paid top cops to make criminal cases “go away” and to intimidate ­members of the Johannesburg underworld.

Krejcir’s attorney, Piet du Plessis, on Friday dismissed the allegations as “gossip”.

It has emerged that Hawks investigators have evidence that their phones are being tapped by police crime intelligence operatives, and that information about their investigation into Krejcir is being leaked.

Asked about the phone-tapping, a senior police official said: “It is happening.

They [certain crime intelligence officers] are trying to make sure they can listen to anyone involved in the case.

This is a clear example of abuse of power – when someone uses state resources to listen to fellow police officers.”

Another senior police officer said he was “absolutely shocked”.

Own people

“These are our own people tapping our phones.”

Krejcir, who is applying for asylum in South Africa, was last implicated in a R4.5m medical insurance scam by his former private physician.

Dr Marian Tupy pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud and was sentenced to seven years in prison, suspended for five years, as part of a plea agreement in exchange for his testimony against Krejcir.

In a damning affidavit, Tupy alleges that Krejcir coerced him into falsely diagnosing him with cancer, allowing him to claim more than R4.5m from Liberty Life.

Krejcir also allegedly hoped to use the false “cancer diagnosis” as the basis of an appeal for a presidential pardon from the Czech Republic.

Reportedly fearing for his life, Tupy approached crime-buster and security expert Paul O’Sullivan – the man whose investigations led to the conviction of former national police commissioner Jackie Selebi on corruption charges – and gave him a copy of Krejcir’s medical file.

Du Plessis said he had been aware of Tupy’s allegations for months and had written to the ­directorate of public prosecutions requesting an opportunity to respond to them.

“Our guy [Krejcir] has done nothing wrong,” Du Plessis said.

But as the net continues to close around Krejcir, investigators are tightening security around key witnesses.

Apparently a Czech national, identified as “Milash” and described as “a professional hit man” is in South Africa, allegedly to kill O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan said he was aware of the existence of “Milash”.

“I am taking steps to see to it that ‘Milash’ is arrested and charged, very soon.”

Krejcir is also being investigated in connection with the disappearance and murder of millionaire German businessman Uwe Gemballa in February last year.

Gemballa’s body was found in a shallow grave in Lotus Gardens last September.

In an affidavit, Tupy claims that Krejcir boasted about his role in the Gemballa murder 10 days after the millionaire’s disappearance.

Evidence missing

One of the lead investigators in the Gemballa murder inquiry, Detective Inspector Ludi Schnelle, is facing a disciplinary inquiry and has been transferred out of the Hawks after a crucial piece of evidence seized at the murder scene went missing.

Hawks’ spokesperson Colonel McIntosh Polela said video camera footage showed that Schnelle had failed to book in as police evidence a laptop he had taken from the house.

There are claims that Schnelle left the laptop in his office and it was subsequently stolen.

Polela said Schnelle was removed from the case in line with a standing order implemented last year to combat high levels of evidence and docket theft.

“Schnelle lost a very important exhibit in a massive case, so he had to go,” Polela said.

Schnelle could not be reached for comment.

Comments by Sonny

Confusing?

Yes, so is the present history of Uwe Ludi Schnelle!

They say if You dig deep enough you may find oil or possibly shit!

You be the judge!!

If a man, (policeman), owns a R1.300,000.00 property in Kenmare he is worth

investigating!