Hawks want Lolly's alleged killer in SA

2011-05-16 08:11

Johannesburg - There are efforts in place to get George Luca, the man accused of killing strip club owner, Lolly Jackson, back to South Africa, the Hawks said on Sunday.

Hawks spokesperson McIntosh Polela was responding to a Sunday Times article in which a reporter interviewed Luca in Cyprus.

"It's nothing new to us. It's one thing going to interview him in Cyprus, but our job is to get him back to SA."

Polela said the Hawks have to go through a formal process to get Luca, also known as George Smith, back in the country.

"It involves negotiating to get him to come back... We are in talks for him to return to SA."

Fair trial

Polela said he would rather not comment on whether the Hawks were negotiating with Luca or the Cyprian government.

The Sunday Times reported Luca as saying he was not hiding in Cyprus, and he was not afraid.

"I want to talk to the police in SA, but I don't think I will get a fair trial," Luca reportedly said.

Polela said he could not comment on the issue of a fair trial, as it would be conducted by the courts and was not part of his, or the Hawks jurisdiction to comment on.

When asked if the Hawks could give an estimated time frame in which Luca would return to SA, Polela said "these things take a long time".

"They are difficult and complex and it would be irresponsible to put a time frame on it."

Allegedly confessed

In the Sunday Times interview Luca was asked about the night Jackson was murdered, but he said not to ask him about it.

"I am alive because I am not a betrayer."

Jackson, the owner of the Teazers franchise of strip clubs, was found murdered at a house in Edleen near the OR Tambo International Airport on May 3, last year.

Luca allegedly phoned Gauteng crime intelligence boss Joey Mabasa and confessed to killing Jackson shortly after the murder.

He claims he was helped out of South Africa and flew out of the country at the OR Tambo International airport.

- SAPA