Alleged sex offender Malka Leifer found fit to stand trail, will be extradited to Australia
Alleged sex offender Malka Leifer is mentally fit to stand trial and can be extradited to face trial in her country, a Jerusalem court ruled today.
Malka Leifer in court June 14, 2018 Photo: Hillel Maeir/TPS
The court’s decision that Leifer is mentally fit for trial follows some six years of legal proceedings against the alleged offender.
“After this decision was made, the way has been paved to discuss the extradition petition in a focused, agile and efficient way,” the prosecution stated.
The hearing for Leifer’s extradition was set for July 20.
A psychiatric panel in January decided that the alleged sex offender, who fled to Israel from Australia, is mentally fit to stand trial and has been feigning mental illness.
Leifer, a former Ultra-Orthodox girls’ school principal, is facing 74 charges in Australia of child sexual abuse. She fled to Israel in 2008 following allegations that she had sexually abused students at the Adass Yisroel school in Melbourne where she was the principal.
“Too many emotions to process!!! This is huge!” tweeted Dassi Erlich, one of Leifer’s alleged victims.
“This abusive woman has been exploiting Israeli courts for 6 years! Intentionally creating obstacles, endless vexatious arguments – only lengthening our ongoing trauma!” she added.
Former Health Minister Yaakov Litzman was embroiled in the controversy when the police exposed his aid to have Leifer kept in Israel and declared unfit to stand trial.
The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia Jeremy Leibler said: ‘This is a welcome and meaningful step, if much delayed. That said, it is likely that Leifer’s lawyers will appeal this decision, meaning we are still not at a point where the extradition trial can commence. We continue to urge the Israeli judicial system to expedite matters. Leifer has been credibly accused of serious crimes and must face trial. The Australian Jewish community stands shoulder to shoulder with the victims of Leifer’s alleged abuse’
Rabbi David Stav, Chair of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, who has met with the three Australian sisters championing the case said, “I applaud the court for reaching this decision and indeed it’s one that should have been reached years ago. We should never witness a situation where alleged criminals of this type who have caused so much harm and damage to children should avoid facing swift justice.”
TPS
Victory.