Bomb scare halts ‘Steroid King’ underworld murder case in Cape Town

A high profile murder case involving some of the most infamous names in the Cape Town underworld was forced to urgently adjourn after a phone call was received warning of a bomb threat to the court on Tuesday morning.

Mark Lifman, Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and William “Red” Stevens, who are the alleged leaders of various prominent gangs and underworld organisations in the Western Cape, were due to appear in connection with the 2017 murder of alleged steroid kingpin Brian Wainstein, but the bomb scare meant that the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court had to be evacuated shortly after 10:00 on 22 December.

Bomb scare at Cape Town court

A bail agreement is understood to have anticipated on Tuesday morning for the three men, who are all charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering, with the State having said that bail of R100 000 each was on the table. When a call came in that there was a potential threat to the building however, planned arguments to reduce this fee by the accused mens’ lawyers was abandoned.

All three were expected to appear, and will now await word on when they will next need to take the stand after officials ensure the safety of the structure and occupants.

Wainstein, an Irish national, was killed in his Constantia home in 2017 while sleeping next to his wife and young child. At the time, Wainstein was in the process of fighting an extradition order by the United States (US) where he is charged with operating a large-scale steroid ring, and is understood to have become embroiled in the local underworld, specifically having been involved in the feud that developed between rival groups competing for power over the illicit nightclub security racket in the city.

Recordings of an aggressive phone call, believed to be between Wainstein and Lifman, were leaked shortly after his death, with threats to one another’s lives repeatedly exchanged. shortly after the call was taped, Wainstein had been killed.

Three men jailed for Wainstein murder

Three men have already landed themselves behind bars for the murder, with gang member Fabian Cupido and associates Chestlyn Adams and Sheldon Breet receiving 25, 20, and 25-years respectively for crimes relating to the murder.

In his plea agreement earlier this year, Cupido said that the assassination had been plotted between members of the 27s Gang and the accused parties at a tyre shop in Mitchells Plain in 2017

This is a developing story