‘Johnny be good!’ This was the ‘warning’ to murder-accused Gert Bezuidenhout issued by the friends of slain underworld kingpin, Mark Lifman, as he returned to the George Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The presence of Lfiman’s friends, Jerome “Donkie“ Booysen and Andre Naude along with Booysen’s son, Joel, caused a stir during court proceedings as a visibly-frightened Bezuidenhout was seen dropping his head to avoid the pangakyke he received as he walked into the dock.
Bezuidenhout along with Johannes Hendrik Jacobs returned to court yesterday for the much-anticipated bail hearings since their dramatic arrest.
Lifman died in a hail of bullets at the Garden Route Mall in George on 3 November. Shortly after the shooting which was captured on CCTV cameras, cops busted the duo.
Days after the shooting, Booysen claimed that Bezuidenhout who is also known as “Johnny” was the right-hand man of PPA security shareholder Alwyn Landman and said he was known to do Landman’s bidding.
At the time, PPA Security management explained that the duo had only done contract work for them, and denied any involvement in Lifman’s murder.
Last week, a raid by the Anti-Gang Unit at the PPA premises in Northgate Island sent tongues wagging as cops confiscated firearms.
On the same day, cops also raided the home of a PPA employee in Table View.
Landman has denied any involvement in the murder.
Addressing the court, defence attorney Bulelani Bans told the magistrate that they needed a postponement so senior counsel could be brought in to defend the accused.
He explained that the duo had been moved to an unnamed prison for their own safety, and consultations were problematic as they only had an hour to consult.
The case was subsequently postponed to 16 and 17 January for a bail application.
As Bezuidenhout exited the dock, Booysen was seen standing in the public gallery and quipping: “Hey Johnny!”
Outside court standing with his son Joel and Naude, Booysen explained they had come George to support their friend Lifman.
Before leaving, Naude was heard shouting: “Johnny be good!”
The trio then proceeded to the crime scene at the mall parking lot where they placed flowers on the tarmac.
According to a source, a R10 million bounty was placed on Lifman’s head after an argument with a businessman in Middelburg.
It is understood that the businessman was allegedly high on drugs and acting inappropriately and when he was confronted he claimed to have the backing of Lifman.
The source says while Lifman acknowledged that he knew the businessman, he did not agree with his behaviour.
monique.duval@inl.co.za