Acid attack case postponed for deliberation to 20 October
JOBURG - The trial of Jan Pieterse, who allegedly threw acid at his ex-girlfriend, Ines Antonio, in front of their three-year-old daughter on a street in Sydenham in November last year, was postponed on 9 September to 20 October in order for the Magistrate to further examine the evidence.
State prosecutor, Advocate Mahange Ka Mzizi stated to the court that there was no doubt that the attack had been planned, and the text messages that the accused, Pieterse, had sent Antonio while she was recovering in hospital after she sustained burns all over her face and body were evidence of this.
Ka Mzizi alleged to the court that Pieterse sent a text message to Antonio which read, “No court, friends or family will stop me from killing you… If I can’t have you, nobody can.”
Pieterse, however, alleged in court on 4 September that on that day last year he had arranged to meet Antonio to give her a cellphone and toys he had bought for their daughter when an argument ensued near his car.
According to Pieterse, his actions were in self-defence and he claimed Antonio had struck him in the face moments before the incident took place. Antonio began weeping at this point in the trial.
Pieterse then claimed that Antonio became aggressive towards him and that he moved towards his boot to create more space between them, however, she continued to come closer to him.
According to Pieterse, he grabbed the first object he could get his hands on and threw it at her. “It wasn’t intentional… Unfortunately, it was a container of acid,” he claimed.
Pieterse alleged to the court that the acid was in fact drain cleaner which he kept in his boot near his tool box.
According to Pieterse, after he had thrown the acid onto Antonio, he left the scene without realising how serious the wounds he had inflicted upon her were. Pieterse alleged that he only became aware of how badly Antonio had been hurt when an image was sent to his father on WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Nurse Sanyane of Norwood Police Station said at the time of the attack, “This was an unforgiving act. We will wait for justice to be done.”
A legal expert who wishes to remain anonymous said, “The magistrate needs to determine whether the amount of acid that was thrown on Antonio could have killed her. It is possible that the charges may be reduced to intent to cause grievous bodily harm.”
According to the legal expert, the alleged text message that was sent to Antonio by Pieterse while she was recovering in hospital after the attack, could be used as evidence to determine if it was meant to kill her.
