Carlo Petersen
CAPE Times readers have come to Delia Adonis’s aid to get the national director of public prosecutions to reinstate charges she laid against three young men.
The Manenberg grandmother was left fuming last month when charges of attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and crimen injuria – against Chad De Matos, 19, Aaron Mack, 20, and Mitchell Turner, 20 – were dropped following representations made by their lawyer, William Booth, to Director of Public Prosecutions Rodney de Kock.
Adonis had laid charges against them following an incident in October last year, which made national headlines and highlighted a spate of race-related attacks in Cape Town.
Adonis, 52, a mother of six who works as a cleaner at Stadium On Main in Claremont, said she was viciously attacked by five men in the shopping centre’s parking lot on October 17.
The charges against her alleged assailants were dropped and Adonis has now taken legal advice to get the charges reinstated.
Adonis told police she was punched in her stomach and kicked all over her body, head and face. She also said she had been racially abused.
De Kock has refused to reveal details about submissions which led to the withdrawal of the case.
“The defence made submissions to me in confidence and I decline to disclose their contents. As a result, the matter was referred back to the police to try to clarify certain aspects of the evidence.
“When the docket with the further investigation was returned to me, I declined to prosecute,” De Kock said.
Adonis has now obtained legal advice to have De Kock’s decision reviewed.
The two readers, who prefer to remain anonymous, met Adonis on Sunday.
“We read about Delia’s situation and decided to offer her help. We are willing to go through all the correct procedures,” one of the readers said.
Adonis said she wanted to know why the case had been withdrawn without her having her say in court.
“They say they have evidence that I started the fight, but I was helping someone they were beating up,” she said.
Booth said: “There is no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution as Mrs Adonis and her son’s evidence are contradicted in material respects by independent witnesses.
“My clients are considering laying criminal charges against Mrs Adonis for the attack.”
It had been said in court that Adonis witnessed five men leave Tiger Tiger nightclub inside the shopping centre and beat up another patron, Duncan Hendry, 21, in Main Road on October 17.
Hendry’s brother Warwick, 28, said: “My brother was saved by Delia after he was badly beaten up when he stepped in to defend a friend.
“She might well have saved his life.
“I think this act of courage and compassion needs to be highlighted.”