Shocking details have emerged surrounding the R10 million plot to assassinate alleged underworld figure Mark Lifman, as two suspected hitmen returned to court on Wednesday.
Johannes Hendrik Jacobs and Gert Bezuidenhout are accused of being involved in a six-month-long conspiracy to kill Lifman, which included multiple reconnaissance trips to the Garden Route, monitoring his movements, and planning an escape route. Despite their extensive preparation, the suspects were arrested just hours after Lifman was shot dead in the parking lot of the Garden Route Mall in George.
According to a source from the Cape Argus, after the shooting, surveillance footage from a farm near Uniondale revealed that the suspects had changed the number plates on the white VW Golf they used to commit the murder, likely to avoid being tracked by the police.
The source stated: “They had been planning this for months. After the car used in the murder was impounded, it became clear that a lot of work had gone into tracking its movements. They had been scouting areas in George and Knysna for at least six months, and the car was even spotted in Table View just days before the shooting.”
After their arrest, the suspects were found in possession of various items, including six sets of license plates, female wigs, gloves, and ammunition. Authorities believe the wigs and bras were intended to help the men disguise their identities. “The gloves were likely meant to prevent gun residue from being left on their hands,” the source added.
The two men made their second appearance in the George Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where their bail hearings were postponed until December. They were escorted by heavily armed officers, and the public gallery was tightly secured. During the proceedings, the state prosecutor informed the court that the identity parades for the case were still incomplete, and requested a media blackout until the process was finished.
Defence lawyer Bulelani Bans entered the case on behalf of the accused, telling the court he had consulted with their families. Legal teams confirmed that an advocate from the Director of Public Prosecutions would be assigned to the case, and the court granted a postponement until December 12 and 13 for formal bail hearings.
Meanwhile, a source close to Lifman revealed that a R10 million bounty was placed on his life, allegedly linked to a conflict that began in March. The source said the dispute stemmed from a confrontation in Middelburg, where Lifman was called to intervene after a businessman, allegedly intoxicated, was causing trouble and throwing around Lifman’s name. The situation escalated, with the businessman reportedly seeking to take control of a mine’s security contract. According to the source, this individual then offered a R10 million reward for Lifman’s murder.
Lifman, who was also involved in the ongoing trial for the murder of Brian Wainstein, was killed on November 3. It remains unclear whether the bounty was paid.
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