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Australian school principal evades extradition again

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Published: 1 February 2018

Last updated: 4 March 2024

AN ISRAELI PRINCIPAL wanted on child sexual abuse charges in Australia has once again successfully claimed mental incompetence to Israeli authorities and will evade extradition hearings for another six months.

Malka Leifer is wanted by Victoria Police on 74 charges of child sexual abuse, including indecent assault and rape, allegedly committed while she was the principal of the Adass Israel ultra-orthodox Jewish girls' school in Melbourne.

Last week, Ms Leifer convinced another psychiatrist review board in Israel that she was too unwell to face an extradition hearing.

Ms Leifer has avoided every single one of her extradition hearings in the last three years, claiming she suffers from panic attacks and anxiety.

This is despite evidence uncovered by her victims that she has been spotted out and about in Israel attending religious festivals and going about her normal life.

Ms Leifer's victims were notified overnight by Israeli authorities of the devastating news.

FULL STORY Former Adass Israel Jewish girls' school principal Malka Leifer evades extradition hearings (ABC)

AND SEE
ECAJ dismayed over Malka Leifer ruling (ECAJ)

Photo: Former Melbourne school principal Malka Leifer at a religious festival in northern Israel (Dassi Erlich)
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