Mark Lifman's alleged killers to remain behind bars after bail appeal dismissed
Johannes Jacobs and Gert Bezuidenhout were denied bail by the George Magistrates Court in January.
Johannes Hendrik Jacobs (53) and Gert Johannes Bezuidenhout (37) are accused of murdering controversial businessman Mark Lifman. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/ Eyewitness News.
JOHANNESBURG - The alleged killers of alleged underworld gang boss, Mark Lifman, will remain behind bars after the Western Cape High Court dismissed their bail appeal.
Johannes Jacobs and Gert Bezuidenhout were denied bail by the George Magistrates Court in January.
READ: Mark Lifman murder case postponed for regional court date
Last week, they approached the Western Cape High Court to try and overturn that decision.
Lifman was out on bail for the 2017 murder of Brian "Steroid King" Wainstein when he was shot and killed in George in November last year.
Jacobs and Bezuidenhout's lawyer, Advocate Mike Hellens, argued that the magistrate in the George matter erred in his ruling when he denied his clients bail.
However, senior State prosecutor, Advocate Evadne Kortje, dismissed the defence's arguments and told the court that the gravity of the murder, using firearms in a public area, was severe.
She further argued that their release would undermine or jeopardise the objectives or the proper functioning of the criminal justice system, including the relevant bail system.
Kortje told the court that the appellants did not establish exceptional circumstances in the matter, and that it was not in the interest of justice to permit their release on bail.
The court agreed and ruled that there were no persuasive factors that warranted interference with the findings of the George magistrate, and no exceptional circumstances existed which, in the interest of justice, permitted their release on bail.
The pair will be appearing at the George Regional Court on 1 July.