The High Court in Cape Town is set to resume the trial of 13 men accused of various crimes, including the murder of Brian Wainstein, known as the "steroid king."
The defence team for prominent accused figures Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and Andre Naudé has called for a trial within a trial to challenge the admissibility of cellphone recordings and transcripts that the State intends to use as evidence.
The communications in question allegedly link Booysen, Naudé, and the late Mark Lifman to a Bellville-based drug syndicate. Lifman, a 57-year-old businessman implicated in the investigation, was fatally shot at the Garden Route Mall in George a day before he was scheduled to appear in court.
The case, which has drawn significant public interest, involves allegations of organized crime, drug trafficking, and underworld activities. The trial within a trial will determine whether the State's evidence meets legal standards for inclusion in the main proceedings.
The murder of Wainstein, an international steroid distributor, and the subsequent investigation have shed light on deep-rooted criminal networks in the Western Cape. The trial is expected to provide further insight into these operations as proceedings continue.