Diamond Dealer Louis Liebenberg’s Bail Hearing Turns into Courtroom Spectacle

“Don’t Call Me Your Worship”: Louis Liebenberg Turns Bail Hearing into Bizarre Courtroom Show

Fraud, rats the size of cats, and a courtroom rebellion: the spectacle surrounding a man accused of defrauding South Africans out of billions

By all accounts, the bail hearing of diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg was expected to be tense. But no one in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court could’ve predicted the sheer theatre that unfolded this week.

Facing over R4 billion in fraud charges, Liebenberg’s appearance in court wasn’t about defending himself against 42 counts of fraud, theft, racketeering, and money laundering. Instead, it became a soapbox for unfiltered tirades, religious objections, and surreal allegations involving political figures, giant rats, and… balaclavas.

The Accused: A Diamond Dealer with a Long Trail of Allegations

Liebenberg isn’t your average defendant. Once known in business circles as a flamboyant entrepreneur, his fall from grace has been swift and messy. He, along with eight co-accused, including his wife Desiree is facing serious charges stemming from alleged schemes that swindled investors out of billions.

The accusations span fraud, racketeering, theft, and violations of the Companies Act. But on Wednesday, courtroom attention wasn’t on the charges, it was on Liebenberg’s behaviour.

Courtroom Meltdown: “This Is a Testosterone-Driven Conversation”

Liebenberg entered the courtroom and immediately took issue with how proceedings were unfolding.

He refused to refer to the magistrate as “Your Worship,” citing religious beliefs.

“The Bible says I cannot worship anyone but God,” he declared, adding, “We’re in Africa with potholes and things falling apart, why are we using British court terms?”

This was just the beginning of a bizarre and confrontational exchange.

As the magistrate tried to regain control of the courtroom, Liebenberg accused her of bias, claimed she was enjoying the media spotlight, and insisted he was being silenced.

“Do you want me to put my case in front of the court and we end up in a pi**ing contest?” he exclaimed.
“You sound like my mother,” he snapped when asked to let the court speak.

Eventually, he sat down and refused to proceed, his head in his hands, visibly shaking.

Allegations of Abuse in Prison: “They Put Their Fingers in My Ass”

Perhaps the most shocking moment came when Liebenberg detailed what he claimed was a humiliating and violent incident in prison.

He said he was targeted after a phone call allegedly from Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald instructed officers to “give that man a hard time.”

“That night, 11 guys in civvies and balaclavas came. They put their fingers in my ass, looking for a cellphone,” he said, to audible gasps in the courtroom.

He then accused a laundry list of players, the state, police, investigators, the liquidators, even journalists — of bullying him.

“I’ve Lost 42 Kilograms. There Are Rats Bigger Than Cats.”

Describing conditions in Pretoria’s C-Max prison, Liebenberg painted a grim picture:

“The rats in the basement cells are bigger than cats. They run over your body at night.”

He claimed to have lost 42 kilograms behind bars, citing untreated gout attacks and the denial of his attempt to go on a hunger strike.

His deteriorating health prompted the magistrate to halt the hearing and refer him for medical evaluation to determine whether he was fit to proceed with the bail process.

Public Reaction: Outrage, Intrigue, and Laughter

On social media, South Africans had a mix of reactions.

Many were outraged by the courtroom disrespect and apparent breakdown in judicial decorum.

“If this was an ordinary citizen, they’d be thrown in contempt in five minutes,” one user commented on X (formerly Twitter).

Others couldn’t help but gawk at the absurdity of the spectacle.

“He’s turned a bail hearing into a circus, rats, balaclavas, and the Bible. This is SA courtroom drama at its peak,” another wrote.

The Bigger Picture: Justice on Trial?

What happened in court this week raises important questions beyond the personal drama of Louis Liebenberg.

• How do celebrity defendants use theatrics to distract from real charges?

• Are our prison conditions inhumane, or is this part of a defense strategy?

• And what message does this send about respect for the judiciary?

As the court decides whether Liebenberg is fit to continue his bail hearing, the country waits to see whether the justice system will hold firm or buckle under the weight of spectacle.

For now, the case is postponed, but the circus is likely to return.

{Source: The Citizen}

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