It's back to jail for Louis Liebenberg after his bail application was once again postponed.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
IT IS BACK to jail for Louis Liebenberg following a brief appearance before the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court today (Wednesday) after his lawyers asked for a postponement as they could not consult with him in jail.
Liebenberg at first chose to represent himself during his bail bid, but later opted to obtain assistance from lawyers.
The bail application has been delayed for some months, as his legal representatives said they battled to consult with him. This was yet again the reason provided on Wednesday as the latest delay was said to be due to the strict conditions at C-Max Prison, where he is being detained.
While the court did grant a postponement to July 8, it warned that the bail application must proceed. His bail bid is expected to be heard over three days.
His wife, Dezzi, was denied bail in November after the court found her to be a possible flight risk. The State at the time argued that Liebenberg and Dezzi had attempted to hide more than R200 million from the authorities following a video depicting Liebenberg boasting about his fortunes online.
They are facing about 42 charges, including fraud, theft, racketeering, and money laundering. It is claimed by the State that Liebenberg allegedly operated a diamond syndicate that was involved in dealing with and luring unsuspecting investors to invest in unpolished diamonds through social media platforms.
As such, he has been accused of fleecing his investors of more than R4 billion since 2019. Liebenberg and his wife were arrested at a Gauteng restaurant on the night of October 22 last year after a five-year probe.
The couple stand accused together with their co-accused: Magdelena Petronella Kleynhans, Johannes Petrus Badenhorst, Helena Dorothea Amy Schulenburg, Adriaan Dewald Strydom, Christelle Badenhorst, Nicolize van Heerden, and Walter Niendinger.
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