Louca in bid to avoid jail

509 08.12.2014 George Louka, accused of murdering strip club boss Lolly Jackson in 2010, leaves the Kempton Park Magistrate Court after appearing before the court, his case was postponed for next year. Picture: Itumeleng English

509 08.12.2014 George Louka, accused of murdering strip club boss Lolly Jackson in 2010, leaves the Kempton Park Magistrate Court after appearing before the court, his case was postponed for next year. Picture: Itumeleng English

Published Dec 9, 2014

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Johannesburg - Businessman Lolly Jackson’s alleged killer will be pleading guilty to a lesser charge in a bid to avoid going to jail, as concerns for his safety rise.

George Louca’s plea bargain might also be the first step in pushing the alleged hitman to help investigators crack down on Joburg’s extensive criminal underworld.

Louca was the initial suspect in Jackson’s 2010 murder after the strip king was gunned down in a house in Kempton Park. Louca fled the country hours after the murder but was extradited from Cyprus earlier this year.

When he spoke to The Star in 2012 from a court prison cell in Limassol, Cyprus, he claimed he would be killed if he revealed the person behind Jackson’s death.

Louca is charged with the murder, as well as a separate case of theft, in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court.

The incident occurred in 2006 and involves R1.5 million worth of brand-name takkies.

On Monday, the court heard that Louca had opted for a plea agreement on the theft charges.

The Star understands this may result in a non-custodial sentence, as sources close to the investigation believe that if Louca enters prison, his life could be put in danger in the lead-up to his murder trial next month.

Louca has spent the past few months in a safe house. On Monday, heavily armed police officers accompanied him to court. The court ordered that he not arrive in person at his next appearance.

The Cypriot has been linked to Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir.

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The Star

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