An Australian court decided Thursday to refer a former school principal, who was extradited from Israel after a six-year legal battle, to trial on 70 charges of child sexual abuse.

Malka Leifer, 55, pleaded not guilty to all charges at the end of the Melbourne Court of First Instance hearing on Thursday, when a referral hearing was held to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Leifer over the charges.

Leifer is accused of committing abuse against sisters Dassi Ehrlich, Nicole Meyer, and Eli Saber, when she was the principal of ADAS Israel School in Melbourne between 2004 and 2008.

The three sisters testified via a video link during a closed court session, and Lever appeared on video from Melbourne’s women’s prison, Dam Phyllis Frost Centre.

Judge Joanna Metcav said she believed the evidence was sufficient to support the indictment, and noted that Leifer denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

Leifer faces 44 counts of indecent assault, 13 counts of indecent act with a child, 10 counts of rape, and three counts of indecent assault on a child. The prosecution withdrew four other charges after it became clear that the alleged incidents occurred in Israel.

The next hearing will take place in Victoria County Court on October 21, and Leifer’s lawyer, Ian Hill, has not submitted any subpoenas after the prosecution has finished reading its arguments.

TRT Arabic