George, Western Cape – Two men have been arrested and charged with the murder of alleged underworld figure Mark Lifman, who was gunned down outside the Garden Route Mall in George on Sunday. The arrests follow a swift police operation, aided by crucial video footage showing the suspects altering their vehicle's registration plates immediately after the shooting.
Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed the arrests, stating: "In collaborative efforts to respond to crime and arrest perpetrators thereof, two suspects were questioned and are now charged with the murder of a 57-year-old man outside the Garden Route Mall in George. The pair, aged 37 and 53 were apprehended near Uniondale on Sunday afternoon and the vehicle they were travelling in was also confiscated.
"Their arrest follows a shooting incident that left the 57-year-old dead. After the suspects fled the crime scene, police, law enforcement officials, security companies and crime watch groups were activated to be on the lookout for the suspects in the region. As a consequence, the pair was arrested a couple of hours later." The suspects are scheduled to appear in the George Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
A source close to the investigation shared details obtained from video footage capturing the events following the shooting. This footage allegedly shows the suspects, both employees of a Cape Town-based security company, manipulating the number plates of their vehicle.
"They shot him five times and they sped away. Initially they had CY plates on (the car) and in the footage you can see them parking off on a field and changing the plates to a CAA registration. This video shows them getting out putting away the gun and changing the plate to avoid being detected," the source revealed.
The source further indicated that the suspects were driving a white VW Polo at the time of the shooting.
