Africa-Press – South-Africa. Security was tight outside courtroom 13 at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning ahead of the first appearance of the Israeli fugitive arrested along with seven others in a sting operation on Thursday.
Yaniv Yossi Ben Simon, Israel’s most wanted man, is accused of running a major drug import and export business. He was arrested along with seven others who will be in court on Monday.
On Friday, he was the only one who appeared in court for extradition proceedings to begin.
Ben Simon has been on Interpol’s red list since 2015. He is wanted for conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
His name is also connected to a case in 2003 when three people were killed and 18 others injured in a bomb blast.
Ahead of Ben Simon’s appearance on Friday, at least three members of the SA National Defence Force sat at the entrance to the court, while 10 police officers stood inside. Another five officers sat inside the court.
Police went around checking the windows and exits of the building. A contingency of the media, who arrived early for the appearance, had to get SA National Editors’ Forum and the National Prosecuting Authority involved after court officials tried to prevent them from entering the building and covering the case.
The media was later allowed inside, but under strict orders that no footage be taken inside the courtroom.
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