By Poloko Tau
Lolly Jackson was about to get a divorce and had changed his will, the Commercial Crimes Court heard yesterday.
But the will, which allegedly favoured the man now appearing in court for defrauding Teazers, has disappeared.
Ricardo Fabre who worked at Jackson's popular club in Rivonia, Sandton, was arrested more than a week ago for allegedly stealing about R25-million in altered cheques from Teazers over three years.
The State alleges Fabre altered cheques written out to Teazers' creditors and deposited them into his own account.
In his bid to be released on bail, Fabre said in his application affidavit that Jackson had changed his will and named him as a beneficiary of 10 percent of Teazers.
"I am now told that this will, which Mr Lolly Jackson kept in a safe in his office, has mysteriously disappeared," Fabre said.
Fabre described his relationship with Jackson in his bail application affidavit as "very close".
"I ran his day-to-day doings and was at his beck and call on a 24-hour basis."
He told the court he was convicted in 2007 for contravening the immigration act in a case involving allegedly illegal Teazers dancers, but was covering up for Jackson, who was his co-accused.
"He promised me the world and undertook to reimburse me financially to take the rap for him, which I eventually agreed to do.
"I took the rap for Mr Jackson as he could not afford a conviction of this nature being the owner of Teazers. Had he been convicted, there would have been severe consequences for the business."
He claimed he was not the only person who wrote out cheques and had access to finances at Teazers.
Fabre said the admission of guilt fine was set by the State and after payment, the matter was "withdrawn" against him and Jackson.
He further described Jackson as a "very meticulous person and he didn't enter into any financial ventures where he wouldn't benefit".
Jackson and his wife Demi had split up recently and were staying at different addresses.
He claimed that a "divorce was in the offing" before his boss was gunned down in Kempton Park last month.
Fabre told the court that he earned a monthly salary of R14 562.83, but also received additional amounts that were not fixed and paid on an ad hoc basis.
With his girlfriend of seven years, Nichol Harvard, 27, Fabre owns a R14 000-a-month bonded R1.8m house in Broadacres.
Jackson provided money for the transfer costs when it was bought.
Fabre also owns a R400 000 Mercedes Benz and a BMW Z4, which, he said, Jackson knew about and had helped him buy.
He said that he would plead not guilty.
Fabre's lawyer yesterday brought to court a plastic bag full of Teazers cheques, which he said were written over the same period the alleged crime was committed.
He argued that the State could not prove the R25m it was alleging Fabre had fraudulently stolen from Teazers over three years.
When asked, the State acknowledged that it was relying on allegations by Sean Newman, Jackson's right-hand man in the business.
The State said it did not have bank statements of the accused and the business.
In the end, Fabre got what would probably be his biggest present on his 42nd birthday yesterday - he was released on bail of R10 000 and walked out of court with his girlfriend.
The case was postponed to September 16 for further investigation.