Fugitive Stanislav Stamenov appears in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on 4 March. (Photo: Brenton Geach / Gallo Images) Stanislav Stamenov, the fugitive wanted in Romania for drug trafficking and who was offering his services as a personal trainer at a Cape Town gym, is now facing steeper legal issues.
This became apparent after the magistrates’ court in the Cape Town suburb of Wynberg ruled on Tuesday, 10 March that his arrest was lawful.
Stamenov’s lawyer, William Booth, had tried to challenge its legality. He argued that the arrest was unlawful because it was based on an Interpol Red Notice, rather than a formal warrant issued in terms of the South African Extradition Act.
The magistrate, however, rejected this argument.
Booth confirmed to Daily Maverick on Tuesday afternoon that Stamenov would remain in custody until at least 18 March and would then try to apply for bail.
The 41-year-old is originally from Bulgaria and was arrested at the end of last month at a home in the upmarket suburb of Constantia, where he had been offering his services as a personal trainer at a Virgin Active gym before Daily Maverick exposed that he was a fugitive.
Virgin Active has since cut ties with him.
Wanted in Romania
Daily Maverick reported in January that Stamenov was wanted in Romania, where he had been sentenced in 2009 to 16 years in prison for trafficking in heroin.
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_5989401_347364.jpg "Stanislav Stamenov appears in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on 4 March. (Photo: Brenton Geach / Gallo Images)")
Stamenov was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, which calls for police worldwide to provisionally arrest a listed person.
As of Tuesday, the Red Notice remained on the Interpol website, meaning he remains wanted in Romania.
Stamenov is now likely to face extradition proceedings, which will be heard in a South African court.
Kamenov killings
His probable presence in Cape Town was first publicised about three years ago.
He had reportedly been a bodyguard of Krasimir Kamenov, who was also originally from Bulgaria.
In May 2023, Kamenov, his wife, Gergana, and two of their employees were fatally shot in his home in Constantia.
No arrests have been publicised in the case.
After the Kamenov murders, the South African Police Service confirmed to Daily Maverick that they were investigating issues involving Stamenov and another internationally wanted suspect.
/file/attachments/orphans/Stanislav-Stamenov-as-depicted-on-an-Interpol-red-notice-screegrabbed-on-23-January-2026_579206.jpg "The Interpol Red Notice for Stanislav Stamenov. (Image: Supplied)")
But in the ensuing years, the police made no further announcements about this matter.
It was only after Stamenov was arrested late last month, following Daily Maverick's reporting that he was offering his services at the Virgin Active gym in Constantia, and several follow-up articles, that police commented publicly on the case. DM