Pretoria advocate who allegedly hit woman with beer bottle out on bail

A Pretoria advocate, who allegedly hit a woman in the face with a full bottle of beer after she asked him for a cigarette lighter, was released on bail of R2 000 without having to spend a night in jail or appear in court.

The police were looking for the man – who cannot be named as he has yet to plead – since October 8, the day the alleged incident took place at Tarrel Court in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

He was arrested on Friday at his office at the High Court Chambers in Pretoria. Police spokesperson Captain Daniel Mavimbela said police were able to establish his possible whereabouts through the examination of a piece of evidence that was intended for a completely different purpose.

The victim, Sinqobile Thandeka Buthelezi, 29, said she had just got home and was walking towards her flatmate outside the block of flats to ask for a lighter.

“She did not have one and I walked over to the man where he was sitting with his girlfriend and another friend and I asked him, but he said no,” Buthelezi said.

“I asked him why he did not want to share his lighter and an argument broke out. He hit me with a full bottle of beer in my face.

“He then tripped me and I fell to the ground. While I was on the ground he kicked me in my chest.”

She said her phone screen was cracked during the attack and she lost the keys to her flat. “I managed to stand up and his girlfriend was holding me back.”

She said the girlfriend held her long enough for him to start his car and then she jumped in and they sped off. Buthelezi went to the Sunnyside police station where an officer called an ambulance to assist her.

She told The Citizen she has been living in fear until the man’s arrest. “I am traumatised and I can’t even eat properly since the attack. I even bought pepper spray and can’t sleep.”

Mavimbela said the suspect exercised his legal right to apply for bail through his legal representative before his first court appearance. The suspect is expected to face a charge of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm. – news@citizen.co.za