Emile Etzebeth in court over 2019 Langebaan assault

Emile Etzebeth has appeared in court on assault charges relating to a 2019 incident that involved his cousin, Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazilila said Emile briefly appeared in the Hopefield magistrate’s court on Friday, where he faced two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

“His case has been postponed to May 14 for the defence to receive contents of the docket and consult with its client. The state will also consult with its witnesses,” Ntabazalila said.

Emile and Eben, as well as their friends, were involved in a fracas in Langebaan before the Rugby World Cup in 2019. They had been accused of physically and racially abusing four people during an altercation outside a pub.

In 2020, Eben was found not guilty of either racism or assault after an internal investigation into the incident. The SA Human Rights Commission had also brought a hate speech case against Eben.

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