Judge in Krejcir trial fears for safety after breaches

JOHANNESBURG: The South Gauteng judge in the Radovan Krejcir trial fears for his safety.

Judge Colin Lamont made this revelation yesterday, hours after telling the court a knife had been discovered in the presence of Krejcir and his lawyers in a consultation room on Monday. The knife was the third security breach he had been told about, he said.

Krejcir’s advocate, Annelene van den Heever, said she had brought in cake from her birthday celebrations the previous day. She was unaware the knife was in the box.

“What would’ve happened if that knife had been used by somebody? It’s a dangerous weapon,” Judge Lamont said.

Later, as the day’s proceedings were drawing to a close, he said: “There’s an additional matter which concerns my personal security, which is under investigation, as a result of an incident which occurred yesterday (Monday). (It) constitutes a serious attack on me personally or it’s an accident, but we don’t know which it is.”

It was not clear if Judge Lamont was referring to the knife. He said he had also been told of an earlier incident in which a kettle heating element had been discovered in a parcel given to Krejcir at the court. Krejcir is alleged to have poured boiling water over a kidnap victim.

Judge Lamont said he would tighten security measures for packages. He is sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court. – Own Correspondent