'Crime boss' Mark Lifman handed another legal defeat

15 December 2021 - 16:36
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The high court in Cape Town has dismissed Mark Lifman's application for leave to appeal against its refusal to relax his bail conditions. File photo.
The high court in Cape Town has dismissed Mark Lifman's application for leave to appeal against its refusal to relax his bail conditions. File photo.
Image: SUPPLIED

Suspected crime boss Mark Lifman has suffered another legal defeat in his bid to work abroad while awaiting trial.

The controversial businessman faces a slew of charges including the alleged murder of “steroid king' Brian Wainstein, who was killed in his upmarket Cape Town home in August 2017 in front of his child and partner.

Lifman is charged alongside alleged underworld figures Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and Andre Naude, and is out on R100,000 bail.

He wants bail conditions imposed by the Cape Town magistrate's court relaxed so he can take up a job offer in Bursa, Turkey. Should he land the job, Lifman would be required to travel between Europe, South America and Africa.

In November, the high court in Cape Town dismissed his application and on Wednesday  acting judge Adrian Montzinger also rejected his application for leave to appeal.

In it, Lifman complained that Montzinger placed too much emphasis on his failure to “disclose his extensive travels on behalf of Cisiy Textiles during the bail proceedings in the magistrate’s court”.

Lifman said there was no factual evidence, other than speculation, that he would “take advantage of the lack of co-operation from the Turkish government”.

He said Montzinger’s criticisms of his “proposed bail conditions are unjustified” and that he over-emphasised the prosecution’s concern that he is a flight risk.

“In my view, none of the grounds raised persuade me to conclude that an appeal would have a reasonable prospect of success,” Montzinger said in his judgment.

Lifman had merely repeated his original arguments. “To simply repeat most of the grounds relied upon as per the main application will unfortunately yield the same result,” said Montzinger.

“I am satisfied that Mr Lifman has not identified any material issues of a persuasive value that justify a conclusion that an appeal would yield reasonable prospects of success. The application for leave to appeal is refused.”

TimesLIVE


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.