Alleged diamond dealer Liebenberg claims intimidation in prison

JOHANNESBURG - Allegations of intimidation and threats have been made by controversial diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg while being detained at Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria.

Liebenberg, his wife, and seven of his employees and associates appeared in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court on Thursday on charges of fraud, theft, money laundering, and racketeering. 

The accused were arrested for running an R4.4 billion diamond investment scheme that saw thousands of investors being scammed.

Addressing the court Liebenberg's attorney, who cannot be identified due to a court ruling, said his client was being targeted in prison. 

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"Everybody that he was in custody with got assaulted if they befriended him. Late in the evening they came into his cell and stripped-searched him and performed a cavity search on my client as well, accusing him of having a cellphone, which he did not have," said Liebenberg's attorney.

He alleges Liebenberg is a victim of mental abuse.

"They are trying to intimidate him and break him, mentally, as he puts it. They threaten him all the time as well, the guards, it’s not the other inmates, it’s the guards. They threaten him all the time, saying he is up to something when he is isolated," he added.