A four-storey designer mansion in the heart of Bedfordview belonging to Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir, was sold at an auction on Saturday morning, while his Vaal home was also auctioned the same day.
A four-storey designer mansion in the heart of Bedfordview belonging to Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir
Described to be the most high profile auction event of the year, four registered bidders participated in the auction and had to pay a R100,000 registration fee to view the property.
Speaking to SA Commercial Prop News today, the Auctioneer, however was not willing to disclose how much the two houses were sold for or to whom.
The Bedfordview property was valued at R13-million, seven years ago. Among other things, the multi-storey house boost features like a lift, a cellar, a rim-flow swimming pool, an enclosed patio area and a bird aviary.
The properties were seized by the South African Revenue Service to help pay Krejcir’s tax bill.
Security was strict inside and outside the Bedfordview auction – with private VIP protection guards patrolling the area, security guards inside the house and Hawks officials refusing to allow the public to enter
One of the four bidders keen to buy the Bedfordview mansion said the fact that it was once owned by a convicted felon did not faze him in the least.
Christiaan Gey van Pittius said he was interested in buying the four-storey mansion for himself, but in the end, decided against it because it would require a lot of “work” to get the house designed in the way he had envisioned.
“It’s a beautiful house. You don’t think about it [Krejcir’s profession] when you’re inside except for the security which is very strange. You would have to remove that as well. It’s kind of obvious everywhere in the house. There are about four steel gates throughout the house,” he said, adding that “some tacky furniture” was the only other giveaway.
Krejcir and his co-accused were convicted in August of drug dealing, defrauding a state-owned oil company, kidnapping and attempted murder.
He was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in jail for the crimes.
Source: SA Commercial Prop News