Carlo Petersen4 August 2025 | 13:11

Elements of police corruption mentioned in Wainstein murder trial

Legal teams are arguing for the court to decide whether cellphone records can be used as evidence in the trial. 

Elements of police corruption mentioned in Wainstein murder trial

Outside the Western Cape High Court. Picture: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

CAPE TOWN - Elements of alleged police corruption were mentioned in the high-profile trial related to the murder of "steroid king" Brian Wainstein in the Western Cape High Court on Monday.

Alleged underworld gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen and 11 others are on trial for Wainstein's murder after he was shot dead in his Constantia home in 2017. 

Legal teams are arguing for the court to decide whether cellphone records can be used as evidence in the trial. 

ALSO READ: Judge questions State's use of evidence related to slain nightclub security bosses, Lifman, Naude

A Hawks detective, investigating the murder of Wainstein, continued showing the court how she identified associations between alleged underworld figures, Booysen and the now-deceased Mark Lifman and Andre Naude. 

The detective, who cannot be named, said the recordings show Lifman, Naude and Booysen were part of an enterprise called "The Brotherhood". 

She told the court about a cellphone recording extracted from Lifman's phone, which shows possible police corruption. 

"... the possible involvement of a corrupt relationship with police officers."      

The detective said certain generals, who are possibly within the SAPS [South African Police Service], were mentioned during the cellphone recording.