20111215
Reuters
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - The fugitive killer of the Serbian warlord known as Arkan has been arrested in South Africa and will appear in court next month on drug charges, the New Age newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Dobrosav Gavric was sentenced in 2006 to 30 years imprisonment for killing Zeljko "Arkan" Raznatovic, Serbia's most infamous wartime paramilitary leader and mafia boss, but has been on the run since.

The New Age said Gavric's identity came to light during a police investigation into the killing in March of a Cape Town man linked to organised crime.

South African police did not reply to questions about the Gavric case sent by email.

Gavric's fingerprints have been sent to Interpol for verification and the newspaper said Serbia is expected to request his extradition to serve his sentence. Serbian Justice Ministry officials were not available for comment.

If police had not discovered cocaine in Gavric's pocket after they stopped his car following the shooting, in which he was wounded, his identity would not have been revealed, the New Age said. Gavric has been charged with drug possession.

Arkan, who was indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal for atrocities during the 1992-95 Bosnia war, was shot dead in the lobby of Belgrade's Intercontinental Hotel on January 15, 2000.

Arkan's "Tigers" were the most feared of Serb paramilitary groups operating in Bosnia during the war.

Gavric and his associate Milan Djuricic were arrested in 2001 and sentenced in October 2006 to 30 and 35 years in jail respectively for killing and plotting to kill Arkan.

Both have been on the run since their sentencing. Police sources at the time said they had initially fled to Bosnia.

The trial proved Gavric fired shots that killed Arkan and two of his friends. Gavric was wounded in the ensuing shootout and was using a wheelchair and crutches during the trial.