Cape Town - Multimillion-rand links between one of the suspects accused of murdering alleged underworld kingpin, Mark Lifman, and Cape Town security boss Alwyn Landman have come to light as the case returns to court this week.
An investigation by the Cape Argus has revealed that murder accused Gert Johannes Bezuidenhout is a trustee of a multimillion-rand property trust registered as the AL Familie Trust.
Landman, the owner of PPA Security, was thrust into the spotlight last month after Lifman’s close friend, Jerome “Donkie” Booysen, publicly accused him of being behind the high-profile hit.
Lifman died in a hail of bullets at the Garden Route Mall in George on November 3.
Shortly after the shooting, which was captured on CCTV cameras, police arrested Bezuidenhout and Johannes Hendrik Jacobs in connection with the murder.
Booysen claimed that Bezuidenhout, who is also known as “Johnny”, was the right-hand man of Landman and said he was known to do Landman’s bidding.
At the time, PPA management said the two only did contract work for the popular security company and denied any involvement in Lifman’s murder.
As the duo made their first appearance in the George Magistrate’s Court, where they were charged with the premeditated murder of Lifman, various sources revealed details behind the R10 million murder plot.
Photographs taken at the scene of their arrest showed the duo had a backpack containing female wigs and clothing and allegedly planned to dress up as women as they fled George. They were arrested near Uniondale.
Last week, a raid by the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) at the PPA premises in Northgate Island sent tongues wagging as police confiscated firearms.
On the same day, heavily armed police also raided the home of a PPA employee in Table View.
Documents obtained by the Cape Argus show that Bezuidenhout and the PPA employee are both listed on the AL Familie Trust as trustees along with Landman and three others.
The documents also reveal that four properties are registered in the name of the trust in Dolphin Beach, Fresnaye and Constantia worth over R20m.
Landman’s lawyer, Martin Hood, of MJ Hood and Associates, confirmed his client is in Namibia, but said he did not flee the country.
Speaking to the Cape Argus, he clarified that Landman left the country for his family’s safety due to the Brian Wainstein murder trial.
“My client is in Namibia but did not flee due to the murder of Lifman. He left for his and his family’s safety amid concerns about the trial as four accused, including Lifman, have been killed. He did not flee the country as a result of Lifman’s murder.
“I can confirm that my client is a shareholder of PPA and the PPA employee on the trust is a long-term friend. I cannot comment further on other trustees. PPA continues to work with SAPS amid their ongoing investigation and Mr Landman has no connection to Mark Lifman.”
At the time of his death, Lifman was on trial alongside Booysen in the Western Cape High Court for the murder of Wainstein, who was shot and killed at his Constantia home in 2017.
According to court papers, the State revealed that the charges levelled against Booysen and Lifman allegedly followed a fallout in the underworld “brotherhood”.
According to the State’s case, Booysen, his brother Colin Booysen, Lifman and Andre Naude had formed the brotherhood focusing on nightclub security in Cape Town, which oversaw all the bouncers at clubs.
It states that in May 2016, a violent altercation broke out between Colin and another person at Coco Bar and Colin complained that his own brother had brought 27s gang members including alleged boss William “Red” Stevens, who were allegedly the cause of the problems.
The State further alleges that Lifman was in conflict with Wainstein over property and investments and in July 2017, there was a failed attempt to murder alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield, who was an alleged associate of Wainstein.
The State claims Wainstein believed Lifman was behind the botched hit and planned to murder one of his bodyguards in retaliation but Wainstein was later shot and killed in his Constantia home. Following Lifman’s death, the State proceeded with its case against his co-accused.
Meanwhile, Jacobs and Bezuidenhout will return to the George Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for the commencement of their bail hearings.