Ex-principal accused of abuse has extradition hearing to Australia delayed
ABC Radio
Sophie McNeill
16 July 2015
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ELEANOR HALL: A former principal accused of molesting her students at an ultra-orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne has had her extradition hearing to Australia delayed.
The lawyer for Israeli woman Malka Leifer has told the ABC he is going to fight his client's extradition for years if necessary.
Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill reports.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Only hours after allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced against Malka Leifer in 2008, the former Melbourne school principal fled to Israel and she has been there ever since.
MANNY WAKS: It came out in the recent court proceedings that she, there was a late night ticket arranged for her, so it sounded that she ended up leaving with some urgency basically.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Manny Waks blew the whistle on sexual abuse at his ultra orthodox Jewish school and religious centre in Melbourne.
He later gave evidence to the child abuse royal commission and is in Israel to bring attention to the issue.
He has been following the case of Malka Leifer.
MANNY WAKS: I've been in contact, as I've said, with a number of the victims or a number of the complainants in this case and it's something I know they are taking in a very difficult way.
I mean it's not easy to think about the abuse all the time and think about are we going to be successful, is Victoria Police going to be successful in extraditing her over here.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Malka Leifer was first placed under house arrest in Israel last September, but nearly a year later, there still hasn't been an initial hearing on her extradition petition.
On Wednesday, Mrs Leifer's lawyers successfully argued in a Jerusalem court for yet another delay to her case, claiming she is suffering from 'psychosis and stress'.
Lawyer Yehuda Fried is representing Mrs Leifer.
He denies dragging the case out.
YEHUDA FRIED (translated): I don't accept the word excuses. We are conducting a court procedure. The Israeli law confirms that anyone in a psychotic state cannot be subject to legal proceedings.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: But he also told reporters outside court that he is willing to spend years fighting the extradition and would appeal all the way up to the Israeli High Court and the minister for justice if necessary.
Dr Yitzhak Kadman is the executive director of the Israeli children's right advocacy organisation, National Council for the Child.
YITZHAK KADMAN (translated): I believe she has very good lawyers.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: He is worried Israel's powerful ultra orthodox community is protecting Mrs Leifer and helping to fund her legal case.
YITZHAK KADMAN (translated): We are aware of how many people tried to create pressure on this case. We think she is well connected. The prosecutor has told us without getting into details, that there was a lot of pressure not to even release her name.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: In a statement the Israeli Ministry of Justice told the ABC 'that there has been a number of delays to this case caused by the defendant. The ministry is doing everything it can to move this along.'
Malka Liefer's case has been adjourned until October 26.
ELEANOR HALL Middle East correspondent, Sophie McNeill.
Originally published at ABC Radio.
ELEANOR HALL: A former principal accused of molesting her students at an ultra-orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne has had her extradition hearing to Australia delayed.
The lawyer for Israeli woman Malka Leifer has told the ABC he is going to fight his client's extradition for years if necessary.
Middle East correspondent Sophie McNeill reports.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Only hours after allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced against Malka Leifer in 2008, the former Melbourne school principal fled to Israel and she has been there ever since.
MANNY WAKS: It came out in the recent court proceedings that she, there was a late night ticket arranged for her, so it sounded that she ended up leaving with some urgency basically.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Manny Waks blew the whistle on sexual abuse at his ultra orthodox Jewish school and religious centre in Melbourne.
He later gave evidence to the child abuse royal commission and is in Israel to bring attention to the issue.
He has been following the case of Malka Leifer.
MANNY WAKS: I've been in contact, as I've said, with a number of the victims or a number of the complainants in this case and it's something I know they are taking in a very difficult way.
I mean it's not easy to think about the abuse all the time and think about are we going to be successful, is Victoria Police going to be successful in extraditing her over here.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: Malka Leifer was first placed under house arrest in Israel last September, but nearly a year later, there still hasn't been an initial hearing on her extradition petition.
On Wednesday, Mrs Leifer's lawyers successfully argued in a Jerusalem court for yet another delay to her case, claiming she is suffering from 'psychosis and stress'.
Lawyer Yehuda Fried is representing Mrs Leifer.
He denies dragging the case out.
YEHUDA FRIED (translated): I don't accept the word excuses. We are conducting a court procedure. The Israeli law confirms that anyone in a psychotic state cannot be subject to legal proceedings.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: But he also told reporters outside court that he is willing to spend years fighting the extradition and would appeal all the way up to the Israeli High Court and the minister for justice if necessary.
Dr Yitzhak Kadman is the executive director of the Israeli children's right advocacy organisation, National Council for the Child.
YITZHAK KADMAN (translated): I believe she has very good lawyers.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: He is worried Israel's powerful ultra orthodox community is protecting Mrs Leifer and helping to fund her legal case.
YITZHAK KADMAN (translated): We are aware of how many people tried to create pressure on this case. We think she is well connected. The prosecutor has told us without getting into details, that there was a lot of pressure not to even release her name.
SOPHIE MCNEILL: In a statement the Israeli Ministry of Justice told the ABC 'that there has been a number of delays to this case caused by the defendant. The ministry is doing everything it can to move this along.'
Malka Liefer's case has been adjourned until October 26.
ELEANOR HALL Middle East correspondent, Sophie McNeill.
Originally published at ABC Radio.