Encouraging development in so-called revenge porn case after the accused is arrested and appears in court

It took the police and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) nearly four months to assess a case of alleged revenge porn, but finally, the accused was arrested and brought before a court. John Schuurman, also known as Johnny Rockett, was arrested on 23 December last year, remained in prison over the festive season, and was granted bail of R2 000 on 6 January in the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court. This is one of three cases against Schuurman where AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit is assisting complainants.

In September last year, the Unit helped Lindrie Gouws open a case against Schuurman after he allegedly distributed intimate photographs of Gouws to her friends intending to embarrass and cause her emotional harm. This type of crime is called revenge porn and is a form of gender-based violence (GBV). Gouws is Schuurman’s ex-wife, and they share a child.

This so-called revenge porn case is a first for the Unit, which has taken a strong stand against all forms of GBV. The case was opened on 23 September at the Sinoville Police Station for contravention of the Film and Publications Act, contravention of the Cyber Crimes Act, as well as crimen injuria.

The Private Prosecution Unit has helped several victims file criminal complaints against Schuurman, such as Milena Hill. She approached the Unit out of concern that her assault case would not proceed because of Schuurman’s alleged contacts within the SAPS. Unfortunately, that matter was removed from the court roll last year because prosecutors failed to ensure the docket was in court. The Unit is closely monitoring developments to ensure it is re-enrolled.

In another matter involving Schuurman, the Unit assisted Tyron Treurnich to open a case of assault to do grievous bodily harm, malicious damage to property and theft. The allegations in the main, are that in August 2021, Treurnich was lured to a residential complex under pretences of cutting a client’s hair. Once allowed into a flat, he was led upstairs to a bedroom. Treurnich alleges it was then that Schuurman appeared and severely assaulted him, accusing him of stealing from him.

While the Unit is encouraged that Schuurman will finally face justice in the revenge porn matter, we are concerned with how the NPA is handling the application. The state initially informed the court that the bail application would be opposed but inexplicably decided not to oppose it at the last minute.

The prosecutor handling the matter did not appear to understand the basic facts of the case – he referred to the male witness in the case as the complainant, and Gouws, as a third party “somehow involved in the matter”. The prosecutor further failed to place on the record that Gouws has a protection order against Schuurman. “These crucial facts set out the gender-based violence nature of the case and provide important information related to previous allegations of threats and abuse,” said the Unit’s spokesperson, Barry Bateman. 

“The failure by the state to adequately inform the court of all the facts related to the case and of the accused once again demonstrates that the National Prosecuting Authority simply does not take cases of violence against women seriously. The public regularly questions why the courts grant bail to perpetrators of GBV, and the state’s handling of this matter is a prime example,” said Bateman.

 The case was postponed to 3 February 2023.