Hitman Dobrosav Gavric is helping SA’s intelligence agency gather information on local organised crime bosses.
|||Cape Town - The international hitman Dobrosav Gavric is helping the country’s intelligence agency to gather information on top organised crime bosses here.
Sources have confirmed Gavric – who was arrested following the murder of his close friend, kingpin Cyril Beeka – has provided key details on shadowy Cape underworld figures.
But despite this, it is understood Gavric has not yet received anything in return for his assistance.
Gavric was also seriously injured when Beeka was taken out in a motorbike drive-by in March 2011.
Sources say the Serb can provide vital information that will help cops put Beeka’s killers behind bars.
“Gavric and Cyril [Beeka] were friends and they knew each other well,” a source close to Gavric said.
“He was present when Beeka was killed and he is an important witness for the State.
“He is able to identify the people who shot him and who are responsible for Beeka’s murder, yet police have done nothing to protect him.”
“He has co-operated with police and up until his arrest, he made himself available whenever they wanted to ask him anything.”
Our sources also indicated that Gavric met senior intelligence officers in Cape Town before his real identity became publicly known, and while there was an international warrant for his arrest.
It is believed Beeka introduced Gavric to his contacts at the country’s National Intelligence Agency.
“The intention of this introduction was so that Gavric could supply intelligence with information on criminal figures smuggling drugs into South Africa from the Eastern bloc,” a source added.
The revelation comes as Gavric appeared before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He is facing extradition as well as fraud charges for coming into the country using a false passport.
Prosecutor Dave Damerell told the court that the State is still waiting for the outcome of his application for refugee status.
And he said Gavric also launched an appeal on the refusal of his release on bail at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
He asked Magistrate Zwelidumile Sogwagwa to postpone the matter against Gavric so that both issues could be finalised.
When Sogwagwa asked why the State did not proceed with the fraud charges, Gavric’s lawyer Pete Mihalik said: “In essence my client will have to stay in custody pending the finalisation of his application for refugee status.
“We need the Department of Home Affairs to expedite the proceedings. If he is granted asylum, these [fraud] charges will fall away.”
A previous application by Gavric for refugee status in South Africa was rejected earlier this year. His lawyers launched an immediate appeal for a review of this decision.
Gavric will know next week whether this appeal for political asylum is successful.
*This article was published in the Daily Voice