“Mark has all the qualities I admire; he is likeable, reliable, flexible and well-natured, with an endearing charm and excellent sense of humour. My initial impression was that Mark was both at ease and in control – a rare combination, this respect grew as our friendship deepened. I was fascinated to learn of his business. He related, without emphasis, his achieving the top mark in the country in IT and subsequent internship with IBM. He created a Facebook application with half a million users [2009]. He was – at 20 – a young professional in every sense of the term: driven, busy, talented, focused. He was always working to a deadline. I never could get my head around how he managed to keep all the plates in the air. Everywhere he was, he seemed to be just dropping in. Often, I saw him doing work for a client during class. I was reminded that Mark had made all these possibilities for himself with the sheer force of will. Everything seemed to be falling into place. Even after his arrest, it seemed there was no injustice or challenge he was not equal to. He focused more on his father’s death than on his imprisonment, though it was not lost on either of us that nothing could make it harder to grieve than being accused of the very act itself. “Life tests the worthy and the virtuous” I offered, and as always the reply was “you’re too kind”. I see this trial as the last of many Mark has been through; the last obstacle in the way of an extraordinary man finally realising his potential. It is a disgrace that he was stopped so short in his tracks by these ridiculous accusations. Mark has so much to offer the world. We just hope he returns to us the way he was. His is a life that needs to be lived, not wasted.”