Adam Catzavelos went on a racist video rant whole on holiday on a Greek island appeared at the randburg magistrate court,the Economic Freedom Fighters opened a crimen injuria case against him – Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Netwerk24 / Werner Buekers
Adam Catzavelos went on a racist video rant whole on holiday on a Greek island appeared at the randburg magistrate court,the Economic Freedom Fighters opened a crimen injuria case against him – Photo: Felix Dlangamandla / Netwerk24 / Werner Buekers
Adam Catzavelos has made yet another brief appearance in court on Wednesday, where the case was pushed back by seven weeks. The postponement only adds to the suspension, as the man who became public enemy number one following a racist beach tirade still doesn’t know where he could be prosecuted.
The defendant will be back in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday 29 August, where a final decision will be made.
He has been officially charged with crimen injuria. Both the EFF and the SA Human Rights Commission had filed complaints, with the SAHRC submitting their affidavits to the court first. It’s likely the defendant will face a hefty fine, but the prospect of jail time looks increasingly slim.
Adam Catzavelos has been largely apologetic and shown a degree of remorse since his utterances in August 2018, and it is believed this will work in his favour going forward – his bank balance, rather than his freedom, will probably be the only thing that takes a hit.
As we reported last month, jurisdiction looks like it will be the biggest issue in this case. It was revealed to the court in June that the Greek authorities have also laid charges against the racist ranter, creating a logistical nightmare in terms of who the burden of prosecution lies with.
The future of Adam Catzavelos and this case hinges heavily on which country can prosecute him. He’s a South African citizen, but filmed his infamous K-word on a Greek beach. In Mzansi, using racist language comes with a much more serious punishment, as we’ve seen with Vicki Momberg.
However, this does not mean that prosecution in Greece would be an easy ride for him. Far from it, actually. It’s been revealed on Thursday that the European country has charged him with “incitement” and “provoking actions which cause discrimination against a group of persons” – and yes, this does come with criminal consequences.
Catzavelos has already dodged one court date in Greece, as it clashed with the recent general elections. No new one has been set, and the seven-week window between now and his next appearance in the dock will give authorities a chance to review the 68-page submission of his defence.
[LETTER FROM GREEK AUTHORITIES] According to this letter from Greek authorities, #AdamCatzavelos is facing charges relating to incitement and provoking actions which cause discrimination against a group of persons.#sabcnews pic.twitter.com/yV0JCJCi6t
— Chriselda Lewis ™️ (@Chriseldalewis) July 10, 2019