High-profile Cape underworld trial continues following Lifman's murder
Cape Town - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says they will continue with the prosecution of the men accused alongside Mark Lifman, following his death.
The mammoth underworld trial is set to return to the Western Cape High Court on Monday, where Lifman’s death certificate is expected to be handed to Judge Vincent Saldanha.
This was confirmed by NPA spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, amid questions surrounding the trial of slain “Steroid King”, Brian Wainstein.
Lifman was shot and killed outside the Garden Route Mall on Sunday.
The following day, his absence at the trial was noted and Judge Saldanha informed that the State sought a postponement to obtain Lifman’s death certificate and deal with other administrative issues.
Over the past few months, Lifman has gone on trial alongside Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, Andre Naude, Sam Farquharson, Egan Norman, Wayne Henderson, Ricardo Maarman, Typhene Jantjies, Bevan Ezaus, Bradley De Bula, Kashief Hanslo, Rowendel Stevens, Ismail Cupido, and Igor Russol.
The group face a plethora of charges linked to the murder of Wainstein and clashes at nightclubs in the Cape Town CBD. According to the indictment, Lifman was the main accused in the murder of Wainstein and the conspiracy to murder Nafiz Modack, Colin Booysen, Carl Lakay, Ashley Fields, Emile Goodley and James Dalton.
He was also charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit public violence and charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (NPA).
Ntabazalila said: “The State will handover a death certificate to the court and will continue with the prosecution of the remaining accused. The State will not stop prosecution or withdraw charges against any of the remaining accused.”
Lifman is the fourth accused in the trial to be killed in recent years.
Shortly after their arrests, Lifman, Booysen and alleged 27s gang boss William Stevens were granted bail of R100 000.
But in February 2021, Stevens was gunned down outside his home in Rembrandt Street, Kraaifontein.
Rembrandt was known for his affiliations with other underworld figures, was declared dead on the scene. Years later two alleged henchmen of alleged 28s gang boss, Ralph Stanfield, were charged for the murder.
A month later, another accused, Jason Maits, was shot and killed while leaving his home in Westridge.
More than a year later another accused, Anthony Ameer van der Watt, was shot and killed on the M5 highway. The incident on October 6, 2022, saw the road being blocked off as police questioned Van der Watt’s driver. His death was later confirmed during the pretrial hearings.
mahira.duval@inl.co.za
Cape Argus