Success: Police arrest suspect in assault case after Private Prosecution Unit intervenes

The accused that is suspected of the assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, kidnapping, intentional damage to property and extortion of Leonie Kambouris was yesterday arrested in Benoni.

This follows after AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit assisted Kambouris on 5 August in laying charges at the Benoni police station. The police refused to assist her in July this year even though she had already obtained a protection order against her husband in June 2020.

Adv. Phyllis Vorster, Prosecutor at AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, appeared on behalf of the complainant in the bail application of the accused. Although he was released on bail, the court set strict bail conditions including that the accused may not enter the premises of the common dwelling, possess his firearms, or have any direct or indirect contact with the complainant.

“We welcome the fact that the accused has finally been arrested. It however remains concerning that AfriForum first had to intervene in order to force the police to do their work to protect the victim against gender-based violence. We even had to register a complaint of poor service delivery as the police were very reluctant to help us lay charges. The Private Prosecution Unit will continue to monitor the case to ensure that justice is done,” says Andrew Leask, Head Investigator at AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.

Link to previous media statement: http://artikels.afriforum.co.za/en/private-prosecution-unit-supports-abused-woman-in-laying-a-complaint-after-legal-system-fails-her/.