Johannesburg – Alexi Bizos, son of the late renowned human rights lawyer Advocate George Bizos, was on Friday, (26 July 2024), found guilty of assaulting his ex-wife Monique van Oosterhout.
The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court found Bizos guilty more than nine years after he punched Van Oosterhout at their Joburg home.
The accused broke six of her ribs.
Commenting on the conviction of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, AfriForum said the ruling was a “victory in the fight against gender-based violence and a prime example of selective prosecution”.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, said he secured a trial date and started the private prosecution in 2020 after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) failed to prosecute Bizos.
After judgment was handed down, Van Oosterhout said she would never have had the opportunity to tell her story if it wasn’t for AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit.
“This is not just justice for my case, but justice for every single woman who’s been abused, accused, shamed, and blamed. This should not be happening,” she said.
“I am also very keenly aware that if AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit had not taken up my case when I asked them for legal advice, we would not be here.”
Spokesperson Barry Bateman said: “AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit will continue its fight to ensure nobody is above the law”.
Bateman added: “This conviction exposes the NPA’s selective prosecution and vindicates our belief that the decision not to prosecute Bizos was because of his relationship with the well-known George Bizos.
“The magistrate found that the accused was a poor witness and evasive and that his testimony was littered with inconsistencies.
“The court also rejected his claim that he was, in fact, the victim and was acting in self-defence.
“On the other hand, the court found Van Oosterhout to be a good witness who painted a logical and clear picture of what happened.”
Bizos was reported to the police for assaulting Van Oosterhout in 2015.
The NPA initially declined to prosecute him.
However, after AfriForum’s announcement in 2018 that his Private Prosecution Unit had applied for a nolle prosequi certificate to prosecute Bizos, the NPA made an about-turn.
Bizos was then invited to make representations to the NPA before the prosecution was instituted.
Bateman said upon receipt of his reply, the NPA yet again decided not to prosecute.
This prompted Van Oosterhout, with the unit’s support, to apply for a certificate to privately prosecute Bizos.
The matter has been postponed to 23 August to set a date for sentencing argument to take place.
