Czech fugitive and jailed organised crime boss Radovan Krejčíř has been given the green light to pursue his computer-related studies and have a laptop in his single cell at the Kgosi Mampuru C-Max Correctional Centre.

Krejčíř is now allowed to pursue his computer-related studies at private education provider Oxbridge Academy and has a laptop in accordance with the April 2025 Constitutional Court judgment, making provision for prisoners to have access to a laptop if they are registered students.

He was sentenced to 35 years in prison about a decade ago for drug dealing, kidnapping, and attempted murder at the prison, which has no educational centre or facility for study purposes.

Krejčíř also faces a 15-year jail sentence handed down in his native country in 2015 for criminal conspiracy to commit fraud and murder, tax evasion, credit fraud, and committing an offence of deprivation of personal freedom and blackmail.

Over the years, he has faced charges of alleged murder of suspected Bedfordview drug kingpin Sam Issa, the conspiracy to kill forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan, and a former high-ranking police officer.

In September last year, Krejčíř registered as a student but did not make a formal application to pursue his studies or keep a personal laptop for study purposes, which relates to the use of computers.

He only made informal attempts to the authorities, but there was no response.

It was only until the apex court’s judgment in April in the matter involving another inmate at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, Mbalenhle Sydney Ntuli, that Krejčíř approached the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, to seek permission to use his laptop in his cell for his studies.

The Constitutional Court declared the February 2007 policy procedures on formal education programmes, which regulate inmates’ use of computers, unconstitutional, invalid, and set them aside.

The policy, which applies to prisoners registered for studies and requiring the use of a computer, was declared unconstitutional and invalid to the extent that it prohibits the use of personal computers in cells for purposes of further education in circumstances where such use is reasonably required for such further education.

The court suspended the order of constitutional invalidity and directed Correctional Services National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale to prepare and promulgate a revised policy consistent with the principles laid down in the judgment (revised policy) within 12 months from April this year.

In the interim, pending the revision of the policy, the Concourt allowed any inmate in a correctional centre registered as a student with a recognised tertiary or further educational institution and who reasonably needs a computer to support their studies, and any student who has registered for a course of study that reasonably requires a computer as a compulsory part of the course, to use their personal computer without the use of a modem in their cell.

Additionally, any registered student who keeps a personal computer in their cell must make it available for inspection at any given time by the head of the correctional centre or any representative of Thobakgale.

“In the event of a breach of the rules relating to the use by an inmate of their computer in their cell, the head of the correctional services centre may, after considering any representations the inmate may make, direct that the inmate may not use their computer in their cell,” the court ruled.

In Krejčíř’s case, the Correctional Services Department argued that the Kgosi Mampuru prison has no educational centre and facility for study purposes.

“C-Max does not have study facilities, and therefore, the applicant (Krejčíř) cannot be given permission to study while at C-Max. Secondly, the applicant deliberately registered for Oxbridge Academy, knowing very well that C-Max does not cater to study facilities,” the department explained.

However, last month Judge Rean Strydom allowed Krejčíř to study while incarcerated at Kgosi Mampuru or any other prison as long as he remains a registered student at a registered academic institution.

The judge also granted him access to all his study material, use of his personal computer device for studying purposes, but without a modem in his cell.

Krejčíř has to make his device available for inspection at any given time and was warned that if he breaches the rules on computer use, this may be disallowed.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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