Malka Leifer’s trial opens in Melbourne, 13 years after the initial charges

by

The trial against Malka Leifer opened Monday morning in Melbourne court, with the former director charged with 74 counts of sexual abuse and rape of minors.

Leifer escaped to Israel in 2008 after being charged with sexual abuse and rape in Australia.

In 2012, Australia requested that she be extradited and the trial began in 2014. Leifer was arrested, but claimed she was suffering from mental illness that would prevent her from facing trial and the case was withdrawn until 2018, when she was extradited. arrested for falsifying her mental illness. to avoid extradition.

The extradition was finally confirmed in 2021 and Leifer returned to Australia in late January.

“Allowing Leifer to escape justice for so long was a hoax,” said the president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler.

In May, it was announced that former housing minister Ya’acov Litzman will be prosecuted for allegedly pressuring the Jerusalem district psychiatrist to falsely rule Leifer mentally unfit for trial.

Australian sisters Nicole Meyer and Dassi Erlich, allegedly sexually abused by former director Malka Leifer and sympathizers, attend a protest demanding the extradition of Leifer, Australia, to the Jerusalem District Court on March 13, 2019 (credit : YONATHAN SINDEL / FLASH90)Australian sisters Nicole Meyer and Dassi Erlich, allegedly sexually abused by former director Malka Leifer and sympathizers, attend a protest demanding Leifer’s extradition to Australia, before the Jerusalem District Court on March 13, 2019 (credit: YONATHAN SINDEL / FLASH90)

Now that the 55-year-old is returning to Australia twelve years after escaping, she will face a closed-door trial in Melbourne.

Witnesses from doctors, psychologists and other witnesses close to three sisters who are accused of sexual abuse will be heard throughout the process.

Source