He might have been a gangster or a spy for the government, but to his family Cyril Beeka was a loving husband, father, brother and son.
Late yesterday afternoon the family of Cyril Beeka laid flowers and planted a cross at the place where he was shot dead last Monday.
Fingers have been pointed at Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir for the murder. Krejcir handed himself over to police late on Thursday, but is yet to be charged with Beeka’s murder.
Krejcir will today appear in court facing fraud charges relating to a R4.5m insurance claim.
Yesterday, was not about Krejcir it was about the memory of Beeka.
The brief memorial service was attended by the late Beeka’s five brothers, two sisters as well as his wife Sonia and their children.
Sonia Beeka told The New Age last night that her husband was a wonderful man and a very good father.
“We were married for 16 years,” said the distraught widow.
“We had three daughters, Megan, 21, Laura, 16, and Francheska, 3. The last time I saw him was last Saturday when he left for Cape Town.
“We were talking about the arrangements for our daughter’s 21st birthday party. Megan will now have a 21st birthday without her dad. It is very hard for the children to accept his death.
“Francheska keeps on asking ‘when is daddy coming home’. This is really a sad time for us,” she said.
Igshaan Nahler, who has been friends with Beeka for 16 years, was trying very hard to keep back his tears yesterday.
“I last spoke to him last Saturday when he came to visit me at my house in Johannesburg. We spoke in general as I always enjoyed his company. Cyril was a very bright and vibrant person man and he had the gift to put a smile on anyone’s face.
“When they called me last week to tell me of his passing I could not believe it. We are going to miss him very much. He was a great guy,” he said.
After the family laid the flowers they said their goodbyes to each other and left.
In Johannesburg last night, McIntosh Polela, spokesman for the organised crime unit, the Hawks, confirmed that Krejcir was facing a charge of fraud.
This after a Johannesburg urologist admitted that he falsely diagnosed cancer in Krejcir so that the Cezch could cash an insurance claim.
Polela said at this stage Krejcir has not been formally charged with murder as the police were still questioning him about Beeka’s murder.
He would not comment whether Krerjcir would also be questioned about the murders of the late Lolly Jackson, the owner of South Africa’s Teazers strip clubs who was shot dead in May, or Uwe Gemballa, a German businessman whose body was found wrapped in cellophane in October.
Krejcir, who is fighting extradition to the Cezch Republic, is being held at the Johannesburg Central Prison under police guard.
During a raid at his home in Johannesburg police found a hit list of four names with Beeka’s name at the top.
Other targeted persons on the hit list included forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan and the National Prosecuting Authority deputy director of organised crime, advocate Riegal du Toit.
In 2005 Krejcir escaped Czech police through a secret tunnel while his house on the outskirts of Prague was being searched. He moved to the Seychelles and arrived in South Africa in 2007.
You Might Also Like :
0 comments:
Post a Comment