An escort agency owner Igor “The Russian” Russol is a danger to society, the Cape Town Regional Court has heard.
|||An escort agency owner Igor “The Russian” Russol is a danger to society, the Cape Town Regional Court has heard.
Hawks investigator Captain Kenneth Speed took the stand on Thursday to oppose Russol’s release on bail.
Speed testified that there was a risk that Russol, who allegedly took over underworld criminal activities from his best friend, slain kingpin Yuri “The Russian” Ulianitski, would intimidate State witnesses.
However, in his bail affidavit Russol, 42, said he had no intention of interfering with State witnesses or tampering with evidence.
But Speed maintained Russol was a “real danger” to the public and referred to an interview a Cape Times reporter had with Russol in January.
“He openly admits he has manipulated auction proceedings by physically removing other bidders from the venue,” Speed said in his affidavit.
“The accused continued by saying that if a property was wanted but occupied, intimidation was used to force the owners out. He ‘brags’ that it is easy to do this.”
Advocate Pete Mihalik, representing Russol, objected to details from the press interview being used during the bail application, but Magistrate Jasthree Steyn said he would hear the evidence and decide how much weight to attach to it once he delivered judgment.
Speed testified that Russol arrived in South Africa from Ukraine on October 29, 2002 and four temporary work permits were granted to him from that time until 2010.
Controversial Sea Point businessman Mark Lifman’s company, Mark Lifman Properties, was listed as the employer on Russol’s permits. Russol has been a permanent resident since January last year.
The State submitted that it had a strong case against Russol and alleges that he extorted R730 000 from Cape Town businessmen, intimidated them and stole R250 000 from one.
Mihalik said there was no evidence that his client had physically hurt anyone or displayed such behaviour.
He said Russol was married, had two children aged eight and 15, had a fixed address in West Beach and did not have a criminal record.
Russol said his wife, Stanislava Matyukhina, was unemployed and he was the sole bread-winner.
He said in his affidavit he would not flee the country and would surrender his passport if he had to. He would comply if bail conditions were imposed that he report to his local police station and not leave the Western Cape.
A decision is expected on Monday.
jade.witten@inl.co.za - Cape Argus