Wainstein murder trial postponed due to witness illness

Cape Town -The former bodyguard, who has spent months spilling the beans on the steroid trade, underworld dealings and the plotting of the murder, is unable to continue testifying and the matter has been postponed to next week. .pic on file

Cape Town -The former bodyguard, who has spent months spilling the beans on the steroid trade, underworld dealings and the plotting of the murder, is unable to continue testifying and the matter has been postponed to next week. .pic on file

Published Oct 16, 2024

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Cape Town - The murder trial of slain “Steroid King” Brian Wainstein is hamstrung after the State’s star witness suffered an epileptic fit this week.

The former bodyguard, who has spent months spilling the beans on the steroid trade, underworld dealings and the plotting of the murder, is unable to continue testifying and the matter has been postponed to next week.

The bodyguard, who may not be named, has taken to the stand in recent months to tell a harrowing tale of how he turned on his former boss and plotted his murder.

Wainstein was gunned down in his Constantia home in August 2017 as he lay sleeping next to his wife and child.

In the mammoth underworld trial, the State has brought Wainstein’s former bodyguard to take the stand and outline his links to the 27s gang as well as Jerome “Donkie” Booysen and Mark Lifman, accused of being behind the murder.

He has already confessed to betraying Wainstein and attempting to take over the steroid trade, but admitted that the business flopped after the murder.

The bodyguard along with his brother and Kishor “Kamal” Naidoo allegedly set up the plan to murder Wainstein and allegedly allowed hitmen onto the property in their absence.

The State witness has dropped several bombshells over the past week, as he described the relationship between

Wainstein and alleged 28s gang boss, Ralph Stanfield and his wife Nicole Johnson.

The bodyguard also claimed Johnson was a client of his and was smuggling steroids.

During court proceedings yesterday, State prosecutor, Advocate Mervyn Menigo, told the court that the witness had been taken to the doctor on Monday.

He disclosed that the bodyguard suffered an epileptic fit and was placed on medication.

Menigo said the witness was willing to testify despite being ill, but an assessment showed he was not in a good state.

The judge allowed for a defence lawyer to also assess the State witness before postponing the trial to Monday.

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Cape Argus

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