Teazers murder case 'key to SA's organised crime'
Graeme Hosken
GEORGE Louka, sleaze king Lolly Jackson's alleged murderer, is the "tip of the iceberg" and could be the key to sinking an intricate world of international organised crime operating within South Africa.
Talks between Louka and members of a police team investigating Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir and his alleged operations in the country's criminal underworld have yielded "interesting developments", Hawks spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said.
He was speaking outside the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court yesterday where Louka, guarded by heavily armed Special Task Force members, appeared in connection with the murder of the Teazers boss in 2010.
Ramaloko refused to comment when asked about a possible plea bargain with Louka.
"Louka is not the only person [allegedly] involved in the murder. We have got the main man, who is central to the investigation, but he's not the only one we want.
"What I can say is this man [Louka] is the tip of the iceberg ... we are looking for others who are and have been implicated in organised crime. Those involved and their international criminal enterprises are known and will be nabbed."
Ramaloko said although the case for now was only looking at Jackson's murder, "as it develops more investigations will begin".
"There is a strong likelihood that new cases and charges against others will be formulated.
"We are going to close down the operations of underworld activities in South Africa, where people from other parts of the world come here and commit crimes. We will end these criminal enterprises."
Jackson was gunned down in Louka's rented Kempton Park house.
Louka, whisked into court in an armoured vehicle from an undisclosed protected location believed to be a safehouse, arrived back in South Africa on Sunday after being extradited from Cyprus.
Besides Jackson's murder, Louka is also facing charges of money- laundering, racketeering and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. He also faces two separate charges relating to theft and possession of stolen property valued at nearly R2-million. He was arrested for these alleged crimes in 2006 and in 2007.
It was during his detention at Kempton Park police station in 2007 that he met Krejcir, who was detained for entering South Africa on a false passport. Krejcir, who faces attempted murder, assault and kidnapping charges over a fallout with an associate, is fighting his extradition in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court.
Louka, on bail in connection with the theft and possession of stolen property charges, fled the country days after Jackson's murder. A senior police officer yesterday said discussions between Louka and South African police began hours after he was handed over to detectives by Interpol and were going "very well".
The money laundering and racketeering charges apparently form part of the state's bigger investigation into Krejcir and other "international criminal enterprises" in South Africa.
Krejcir and Jackson are said to have been involved in smuggling money into South Africa with the assistance of murdered German super car dealer Uwe Gemballa.
Gemballa, who the two allegedly funded R100-million for the establishment of a car dealership, was killed months before Jackson.
Reading the indictment into the court record, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions JJ du Toit said the racketeering and money laundering charges related to activities between July 2008 and December 2009. It is at this time that Krejcir allegedly began building up his business enterprise, including his MoneyPoint gold dealership.
The dealership closed when it was bombed last year in an attack which killed two of Krejcir's associates. His MoneyPoint manager, Ivan Savov, is currently in court on money laundering, fraud and theft charges allegedly to the value of R12.8-million.
