Police president resigns after multi-millionaire escapes police custody

The Czech Police President, Jiri Kolar, has resigned after Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek called on him to do so, following a police blunder. Czech multi-millionaire Radovan Krejcir managed to escape from police custody last weekend during a search of his house. Mr Krejcir faces charges of fraud and tax evasion amounting to almost three billion Czech crowns (around 120 million US dollars) and is also suspected of planning a murder. Latest reports say he walked out of the main door of his home and escaped in his car. The head of the police anti-corruption department and his deputy have also been let go, while ten other police officers have been suspended.

According to the interior minister, Frantisek Bublan, there is some evidence that Mr Krejcir has fled the country. On Wednesday, a man resembling Radovan Krejcir was caught on a video surveillance tape at a petrol station in neighbouring Slovakia. Both Czech and international warrants for his arrest have been issued.