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Malka Leifer: Former Melbourne Jewish school principal wins further delay in fight against extradition from Israel on abuse allegations
By Sophie Mcneill
A former principal accused of molesting students at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Melbourne has had her extradition hearing to Australia delayed. Malka Leifer fled to Israel just hours after allegations of sexual abuse at the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick first surfaced in 2008, and has been there ever since. It is understood Ms Leifer could face dozens of charges of indecent assault and rape if she ever returns to Melbourne. Ms Leifer was first placed under house arrest in Israel last September but nearly a year later there still has not been an initial hearing on her extradition petition. On Wednesday, her 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 denied dragging the case out. "I don't accept the word excuses. We are conducting a court procedure," he said outside the court. "The Israeli law confirms that anyone in a psychotic state cannot be subject to legal proceedings." He told reporters he was willing to spend years fighting the extradition and would appeal all the way up to the Israeli High court and Minister for Justice if necessary. Attorney-General George Brandis's department said in statement: "Australia made a request to Israel for Ms Leifer's extradition as she is wanted to face prosecution in Victoria for 74 sexual assault offences. "As the matter remains before the courts in Israel, it would not be appropriate to comment further."
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