Jantjies to appear in court over airplane incident

Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies will appear in the Kempton Park magistrate’s court in Johannesburg on Monday.

The Rugby World Cup-winning flyhalf was detained on Sunday and charged with causing malicious damage to property, a police spokesman said.

Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe confirmed that Jantjies was detained after arriving in South Africa and later released on ZAR1,000 ($62/60 euros) bail.

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“The SAPS (South African Police Service) can confirm that the 31-year-old man who was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport for malicious damage to property has been released on bail,” she said.

An airport official familiar with the arrest confirmed that the 31-year-old was Jantjies, a member of the squad that won the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

According to AFP, he is expected to appear at a magistrate’s court in a suburb close to the airport where he was held.

*Meanwhile, Jantjies’ agent, James Adams released a statement requesting privacy on the matter.

“It is alleged that while onboard, a light was damaged,” Adams said in a statement.

“We believe the incident has been unnecessarily heightened.

“Our client, however, remains compliant with the investigation process and will address this matter with the seriousness it beckons.

“We would like to allow the legal authorities to attend to this without any undue influence and ask that the public and the press respect the legal process without casting judgement and also request that our client’s right to privacy be respected.”

On Sunday a SARU spokesperson revealed to @rugby365com that they are aware of the arrest.

“We’ve been informed of Elton’s arrest,” a SARU spokesperson told @rugby365com.

“However, we are still in the process of gathering more information and can’t say anything at this stage,” the spokesperson added.

Jantjies made his professional debut in 2011 with the Johannesburg-based Lions and was loaned to French Top 14 club Pau in 2021 before joining Japanese outfit NTT Red Hurricanes this year.