Three months after Pretoria resident Conrad Pretorius was allegedly stabbed in the neck and leg by an acting judge and senior (Silk) advocate, he has filed a damages claim at the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria against the well known jurist.
This claim relates to an incident on August 1, following an alleged road rage incident.
Pretorius alleged that Advocate Roeloff du Plessis, 60, attacked him. Summons was this week served on Du Plessis.
It is not known at this stage what amount in damages Pretorius is claiming. According to AfriForum, which is assisting him in his legal battle, Du Plessis has not yet responded to the summons.
Du Plessis, however, yesterday said that he would most definitely defend the civil action. He said he did not want to comment at this stage on the merits of the case, as the civil action is pending and because Pretorius is facing a criminal trial following the incident.
Pretorius appeared again in the Hatfield Magistrates Court on Tuesday on charges of assault, where the matter was postponed to January 11 for further investigations.
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit said it had been instructed to act as a watching brief in the criminal matter.
According to Pretorius, he and his wife were driving in Menlo Park when they encountered the advocate at an intersection where the traffic lights were not working.
It is alleged that an altercation ensued which resulted in Du Plessis chasing Pretorius through the streets of the suburb for about 5km before blocking him in a cul-de-sac.
It is further alleged that Pretorius and Du Plessis alighted from their vehicles, and a confrontation occurred. Pretorius alleges that Du Plessis stabbed him in the neck with a sharp object, whereafter a struggle ensued, during which he was also stabbed in his leg.
Pretorius said he managed to get back in his car and drove to the nearest hospital for treatment.
Pretorius was hospitalised and discharged almost a week later. While in hospital he filed a criminal complaint of attempted murder against Du Plessis, but soon discovered that the advocate had filed a criminal charge against him.
AfriForum said its Private Prosecution Unit made representations to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) in Gauteng, stating that the decision to prosecute Pretorius, which they claim is the victim, and not Du Plessis was irrational.
In a letter to the unit, the NPA said there was no reason to interfere with the decision of the senior prosecutor at the Hatfield Court and that the case against Pretorius must continue.
The unit maintains the view that the decision to prosecute Pretorius and not Du Plessis was irrational.
Du Plessis meanwhile said both he and Pretorius laid charges against each other and the Director of Public Prosecutions made a rational decision to charge Pretorius.
Du Plessis said all these allegations made against him were pure defamation, and he would not tolerate them. “I will definitely act against anyone who defames me,” he said.
Pretoria News