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Johannesburg - Marissa Christopher, one-time Playboy cover girl and mistress of Czech criminal Radovan Krejcir, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly aiding and abetting him in one of his many escape attempts.
Police have been searching for Christopher since April 2016, when a warrant was issued for her arrest after she allegedly paid people to help Krejcir escape from prison in November 2015.
After Christopher moved out of a R90 000-a-month mansion in Linksfield earlier this year, police lost track of her.
They had been searching for her for more than three months when she showed up at Zonderwater Prison with the couple’s young daughter on Saturday afternoon, in an attempt to visit him.
She was nabbed and the child was taken away by police and handed over to her grandmother to look after her.
Police believe Christopher had sold a luxury Mercedes-Benz, bought for her by Krejcir before he was arrested in late 2013.
Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan said cash from the sale of the car was used to pay certain known individuals to help Krejcir in his escape bid.
"It is also believed that she helped with plans to arrange a helicopter," O’Sullivan said.
"Krejcir’s 'playmate' could become his cellmate," remarked O’Sullivan.
Immediately after Christopher was arrested, prison official Hendricks Johannes Herbst was also arrested. He was accused of smuggling a cellphone into Krejcir’s cell.
They both appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of defeating the administration of justice, conspiring to allow a prisoner to escape from custody, and corruption.
They will be joining Krejcir and another two prison officials who have been charged with aiding and abetting a prisoner to escape, as well as corruption.
It was previously reported that Christopher’s father was ex-MK leader Russell Christopher, who was also a former security head at Parliament. He said in 2012 that he was estranged from his daughter.
READ: Krejcir, co-accused return to court for Issa murder
Former Playboy model
Christopher first hit the headlines when it was revealed she was living in a R30m luxury home in Linksfield Ridge, with the lease having been arranged by Krejcir. However, after Krejcir’s arrest, the rent was not paid. The property was then sold in an auction, after Christopher had lived there rent-free for almost two years.
She featured as a Playmate of the month in Playboy magazine in October 2012. But in court, she appeared camera shy, turning her head away when photos of her were taken.
A bail application went ahead, where Christopher named Krejcir as the father of her 2-year-old daughter. Christopher told the court she had been a model, but was currently unemployed. She said she was a full-time mother and lived in Fourways with her cousins.
She told the court she had no money and relied on her family to help her look after her child.
Christopher pleaded not guilty to the charges and said she had no current relationship with Krejcir, except for being the mother of his child.
She said she was arrested when taking her daughter to go and visit her father.
Attorney Johan Botha applied for bail for Herbst, who was a correctional services official for many years and lived on the premises of Zonderwater Prison.
The State asked that their opposition to the bail bids be heard by the court tomorrow.
Outstanding warrants of arrest also exist for Krejcir’s son Denis, his wife Katerina, his mother Nadezda, and his son’s girlfriend, Marlene Nezar, who is believed to have married Denis to avoid being deported from the Czech Republic as an over-staying visitor, O’Sullivan said.
