Brian Wainstein murder trial: Mark Lifman hit delays ‘anxious’ Mr X’s testimony

Yet another snag has hit the high-profile murder trial of “Steroid King” Brian Wainstein, which has been unfolding at the Western Cape High Court.

The latest delay comes a week after the assassination of suspected underworld kingpin Mark Lifman on 4 November in George halted trial proceedings.

On Monday morning, the state prosecutor, Advocate Mervyn Menigo, informed the court that the state’s key witness, Mr X, has been deemed medically unfit to proceed with the trial until 2 December.

Brian Wainstein trial: Lifman murder ‘anxiety trigger point’

The court heard that the psychiatrist, who accessed Mr X, wrote in a report that he needs a month’s respite and treatment, with Lifman’s murder noted as a new “anxiety trigger point”.

This poses the possibility that the trial might only resume on 10 March 2025.

Judge Vincent Saldanha, however, said: “We need to keep the trial going.”

The matter was postponed to Tuesday for a new witness to be sworn in, with possible objections to this in the works. 

Mr X has admitted to his role in Wainstein’s murder, for which he also faces charges, but could be exempted from these charges if he is found to have told the truth on the stand.

Security boss Andre Naude in hospital

The court also heard that one of Lifman’s co-accused and close associates, security boss Andre Naude, had been admitted to the hospital on Sunday but intended to return to court on Tuesday.

The court prepared a warrant for his arrest, but as is customary in these circumstances, it will be held over.

Lifman officially removed from indictment

During Monday’s court proceedings, the abridged death certificate of the 57-year-old Cape Town property mogul and businessman was handed in at court.

This officially removes Lifman – who was out on R100 000 bail at the time of his death – from the indictment.

Mr X has admitted to his role in Wainstein’s murder, for which he also faces charges, but could be exempted from charges if he is found to have told the truth on the stand.

Booysen and the late Lifman had already pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Bail hearing

The Wainstein murder case is part of a large-scale, ongoing, organised crime-related prosecution relating to activities in 2017.

Lifman, who was allegedly a key player in the lucrative nightclub extortion racket in Cape Town, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in the parking lot of the Garden Route Mall.

His suspected killers—Johan Jacobs and Gert “Johnny” Bezuidenhout—were arrested shortly afterwards near Uniondale.

The duo, who have been working as security specialists for PPA Security, will return to the George Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for their bail hearing.

Lifman’s hit-style killing took place a day before he and his 13 co-accused were due back in the dock for the international steroid smuggler’s ongoing murder trial.

ALSO READ: Mark Lifman murder suspects: Duo make first court appearance, requests solitary confinement

Lifman, Donkie and Red

The Fresnaye businessman was arrested in 2020 alongside alleged Sexy Boys gang leader Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and 27s “general” William “Red” Stevens.

Stevens was gunned down execution-style in front of his home in Kraaifontein on 1 February 2021.

James Dalton on Lifman hitlist?

The State also alleged that on 19 November 2017, Lifman conspired to murder several members of his alleged underworld rivals, including Nafiz Modack, Booysen’s brother Colin, security company manager Carl Lakay, alleged Woodstock gang boss Ashley Fields, Emile Goodley, and former Springbok rugby star James “Bullet” Dalton.

Wainstein the ‘Steriod King’

Interpol fugitive Wainstein was shot five times at close range shortly after midnight on 18 August 2017 while sound asleep next to his girlfriend and two-year-old child in his Constantia home.

Wainstein had a history of confirmed and alleged crimes.

In 2007, The Irish Times reported that he had illegally distributed bodybuilding steroids worldwide from Dublin and was sentenced to four months in jail.

At the time of his death, the so-called “Steroid King” of Irish descent was wanted in the US for illegally importing anabolic steroids and running a huge steroid racket.

Diamonds and rage…

Weinstein was also being investigated for possession of 12 uncut diamonds in Cape Town and for threatening the owners of a Green Point sports supplement business in November 2016.

He was released on police bail on the diamond charges but did not arrive for his first appearance at Cape Town Magistrate’s Court.

The Sunday Times reported in 2017 how he allegedly ordered the owners of the sports supplements shop to stock his brand of steroids, Axiolabs. 

“He walked into our shop and said we won’t sell any other products than the stuff that he sells because (Green Point) is his area; it’s his people; he controls that area,” said Ryan Pretorius, who co-owned Nutrition Rage in Green Point.

“He told us if we don’t sell his stuff, we won’t see another day, and he’ll blow up the place.”

The owners fled the province after the altercation.

Lifman allegedly ‘financed’ hit on Wainstein

The State claims that Wainstein’s murder was financed by Lifman and that he and others benefitted from the illegal steroid business, which continued after Wainstein’s death. 

 Mr X has claimed that Lifman felt Wainstein was “getting greedy”. 

The State also alleges that Wainstein and Lifman clashed over property deals and a plan was then hatched to have Wainstein murdered.

Mr X in the dock

Mr X has previously testified that he started out as a debt collector and worked his way up to be a steroids salesman, money collector, as well as bodyguard for Wainstein.

He further alleged that he was even assigned by Wainstein to guard Nicole Stanfield, the wife of alleged Cape Town gang boss Ralph Stanfield, on a night out at Coco Bar.

On another occasion, he claimed that he accompanied the former Springbok hooker James Dalton to recover stolen goods in Khayelitsha.

However, he confessed turning on Wainstein and helped with the arrangements to kill him. 

Three already behind bars for Wainstein murder

Three people have already been sentenced in connection with the steroid smuggler’s murder:

• Matthew Breet, a former security company co-owner, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars;
• Chestlyn Adams and Fabian Cupido received 25 years each.

Breet’s sentence was imposed in terms of a plea and sentencing agreement, which he entered into at the Western Cape High Court in December 2018.

According to the State’s summary of facts, Matthew Breet and his brother Sheldon were bodyguards of Wainstein.

Matthew admitted in the agreement that when he was fired, he took up employment with Wainstein’s associate, who “later, together with other associates, conspired to murder the deceased”.

2017 Café Caprice shooting

Hawks spokesperson Captain Philani Nkwalase said Adams was arrested by the Hawks’ underworld investigating team on 27 October 2017, after he had been on the run since a nightclub security turf war shooting at the late Springboks star James Small’s beach bar, Café Caprice, in which two people were injured.

In June 2020, Cupido, who was also involved in the brazen Café Caprice shooting, was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for Wainstein’s murder, illegal possession of a firearm, money laundering, being a member of a gang, and illegal possession of ammunition.

Cupido, who joined the 27s gang after losing his job as a train driver in 2015, entered into a plea and sentencing agreement with the state for his role in the underworld conspiracy to murder Wainstein.

ALSO READ: Mark Lifman: Who is ‘Johnny Bacardi’ and what happened at James Small’s Café Caprice?

Wainstein murder plot

He confessed that he and Adams attended a meeting held at Goodhope Tyres in Mitchells Plain on 17 August 2017.

The murder of Wainstein at his luxury mansion in Hohenort Avenue was planned at the meeting attended by members of the 27s gang, the murder of the deceased at his Constantia home.

According to Cupido’s plea agreement, it was then decided that Adams would pull the trigger while he would be the getaway driver.

The evening of the murder, the accused met with Matthew Breet to swap vehicles.

Breet gave him and Adams the layout of the deceased’s house and details of how to access the premises. He emphasised that the girlfriend and child of the deceased would be home but should not be harmed.

Cupido drove Adams and another accomplice home after the murder and Cupido received payment of R35,000 from Breet the next morning.

Before Wainstein’s murder, there was an attempt on the life of suspected gang boss Ralph Stanfield on 6 July 2017. The State claims this was because of his close association with Wainstein.

NOW READ: Mark Lifman and the dark underworld: Yuri the Russian, Cyril Beeka and the battle for ‘the doors’