Graeme Hosken
AN elaborate planned assassination of a senior police officer and private forensic investigator linked to an investigation into Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir was foiled yesterday in a dramatic raid on a Johannesburg hotel.
The late afternoon raid saw officers storming the Rivonia Road Lodge just hours before three people, including a woman, 23, could gun down Colonel Nkosana "Killer" Ximba and Paul O'Sullivan.
The arrests come after a Johannesburg High Court judge earlier in the day denied Krejcir bail.
Krejcir was appealing against an earlier ruling made last month by a Palm Ridge magistrate to refuse him bail in a case where he stands accused of kidnapping and attempted murder.
Krejcir, along with two Hawks investigators from Germiston and a Sandton property developer, were arrested for the June kidnapping and torture of the brother of an associate, who allegedly stole 25kg of tik from Krejcir.
Krejcir allegedly wanted his associate, who works at OR Tambo International Airport, to help him smuggle the drugs to Australia.
One of the three arrested yesterday is linked to the kidnapping.
Officers from the police's Special Task Team, which has been investigating Krejcir's alleged criminal underworld operations, had a breakthrough when they were tipped off to the planned assassinations.
A source close to the investigation said the three were planning to use police equipment, including sirens and blue lights, to stop the intended victims as they left their homes yesterday.
Once stopped they would, the policeman said, execute them with a police- issued R5 rifle.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale, who praised the public for the tip-off, said the first arrest was made at a restaurant in Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton.
"Information led us to the hotel where we arrested the woman. She took us to a BMW X6 where we recovered an R5 rifle, two 9mm pistols, a police siren and lights, five balaclavas, six cellphones and a number of Gauteng vehicle number plates and three vehicles.
"While [we were] arresting the woman, her boyfriend arrived at the hotel and tried to drive off. Fortunately officers were able to arrest him," he said.
Makgale confirmed that one of the two arrested men was allegedly linked to the June kidnapping.
"He will appear alongside Krejcir and the other accused. The man and his two accomplices will also appear in court soon on charges of the illegal possession of firearms and conspiracy to commit murder.
"More arrests are expected in connection with this investigation," he said.
O'Sullivan last night said he had discovered the planned hit while doing a counter-surveillance operation.
"I spotted three men outside my home and challenged them. They revealed that they were crime intelligence agents and told me of my planned murder, which was to [take place] before noon.
"They asked me to cooperate with them, which I did, which allowed officers to arrest these would-be killers," he said.
