Bulgarian fugitive's extradition battle continues as bail application is heard
Bulgarian national Stanislav Stamenov appears in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court as he fights extradition to Romania, with the State opposing bail on grounds he is a flight risk.
Image: Murray Swart/ Cape Argus
A Bulgarian national wanted by Romanian authorities to serve a 16-year prison sentence for drug trafficking has told the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court he is not a flight risk and should be released on bail, as the State alleges he is unlawfully in South Africa and obtained residency through misrepresentation.
Stanislav Stamenov, 40, appeared in court on Wednesday, where his affidavit was read into the record as part of his bail application.
Stamenov was arrested in Cape Town in February after authorities acted on an Interpol Red Notice issued at the request of Romania. He had been living in the city for several years, according to previous reports, and was reported to be working as a personal trainer in Constantia.
His defence has previously challenged the legality of his arrest, arguing that a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant and that proper procedures were not followed.
However, the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court has since ruled that the arrest was lawful, finding there was provision for arrest without a warrant and allowing the extradition process to proceed.
In his statement, Stamenov described himself as a permanent resident of South Africa with a fixed address in Constantia and strong family and community ties. He said he had lived in Bulgaria for 27 years before relocating to South Africa in 2011 and told the court he holds both a permanent residence permit and a South African identity document.
He told the court he married his wife, Gabriella, in 2012, and that they have a 10-year-old daughter in Grade 5. He said he is actively involved in his daughter’s upbringing.
Stamenov said he has built up an established client base through his work at a gym and maintains strong ties within the community. He added that his family owns assets in South Africa, including three vehicles valued at about R500,000 and an apartment in Plumstead worth approximately R920,000, held through a family trust.
Addressing his arrest, Stamenov said he was not at home when police arrived. He told the court his wife contacted him, after which he returned home immediately and did not take the opportunity to evade arrest.
He denied being a flight risk and said he would comply with any bail conditions and attend all court proceedings. He added that he had handed over his Bulgarian passport to his legal representative.
Stamenov also indicated that he intends to oppose his extradition to Romania, raising concerns about discrepancies in the documentation. These include alleged differences in sentencing details and issues with the Interpol Red Notice, such as conflicting issue and expiry dates and an address he claims he has never lived at.
He further questioned how he could have been convicted in absentia and said time allegedly spent in pre-trial custody had not been clearly accounted for.
In support of his argument, Stamenov told the court he has never evaded law enforcement and referred to an incident in 2025 where he contacted police to assist in the investigation of a client’s murder.
He said his continued detention would negatively affect his wife, daughter and clients, and asked the court to grant bail under strict conditions.
However, affidavits submitted by the State present a sharply different account.
In a sworn statement, the investigating officer said: “My investigation on the INTERPOL Notices database system confirms that indeed the alleged wanted fugitive… is published on the INTERPOL with Red Notice Control.”
The affidavit states that Romanian authorities are seeking Stamenov’s extradition to serve “a 16 years prison sentence ordered through the criminal judgment” for drug trafficking-related offences.
It further alleges that he “evaded the execution of the sentence by leaving Romania”.
Opposing bail, the officer stated that “the Applicant is a flight risk and there is a strong likelihood that he will evade his extradition hearing should he be released on bail”.
A separate affidavit by a Department of Home Affairs immigration officer raises concerns about Stamenov’s legal status in South Africa.
According to the affidavit, departmental records show he “never entered the Republic after his departure” in November 2013.
The officer states: “It is evident that the accused should not be a Permanent Residence holder in South Africa, due to the fact that Permanent Residency was obtained through misrepresentation.”
The affidavit further indicates that he “becomes a Prohibited Person” and an “Undesirable Person” under immigration law.
Home Affairs has indicated its intention to request that the Minister withdraw Stamenov’s permanent residence, as well as that of his wife and child.
The State maintains that, given these factors, no bail conditions would adequately mitigate the risk of absconding and has urged the court to deny bail.
The case was postponed for further argument on bail.