Police on Wednesday continued their search for the prime suspect in the murder of Teazers’ owner Lolly Jackson.
“We’re continuing to search for the suspect, but I have been told not to give details about this case,” Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Eugene Opperman said.
However police spent over an hour speaking to Jackson’s neighbour — Czech Republic fugitive Radovan Krejcir — on Wednesday.
Krejcir lawyer, Ian Small-Smith, said his client “wasn’t really questioned”, but had “exchanged information”, with investigators who are trying to track down the person who shot and and killed the strip-club owner at a house in Kempton Park on Monday evening.
“He was helping the cops to try and unravel what was happening there,” said Small-Smith.
The meeting, which lasted for about one-and-a-half hours, was voluntary and Krejcir was treated as a witness, said Small-Smith.
“The police said they are at a very sensitive stage of their investigation and are kind of upbeat about where they are with the investigation at this stage,”
Krejcir had been sentenced in absentia in the Czech Republic to six-and-a-half years for tax fraud and was charged with other crimes, allegedly conspiracy to murder, counterfeiting, extortion and abduction.
SA police arrested Krejcir in 2007 on an Interpol red notice as he entered the country on a flight from Madagascar using a passport in the name of Egbert Jules Savy.
The South African Police Service said he was wanted in connection with allegations of fraud of hundreds of millions of euros and conspiracy to commit murder in an alleged plan to cause financial losses to the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic’s attempt to have him extradited from South Africa failed in March.
Widow takes charge
Meanwhile, the strip-club empire that Jackson built would now be run by his 31-year-old widow Demi, the Star reported on Thursday.
“Demi is in charge, alongside Lolly’s trusted business partners that he handpicked and has had for a very long time, so the business is in good hands,” said club spokesperson Sean Newman.
Demi, a former Teazers stripper, addressed staff at Teazers Rivonia on Wednesday night as the club reopened its doors.
She encouraged staff to stick together so that the business could conitnue to thrive.
Jackson’s daughter Samantha (27) confirmed that the family would be “taking over as normal”.
She would not say if the business had been inherited by a particular family member or partner, because the family were “still sorting everything out”.
“We’re just standing together and trying to get through it all”.
Jackson’s funeral was expected to be held on May 10. – Sapa