In short:
Mathiang Malok has been found guilty of two counts of aggravated causing harm with intent and one count of aggravated affray.
The incident occurred at the Nairobi Affair Lounge in Adelaide’s CBD in March 2022.
What’s next?
Malok will return to court in August.
A Melbourne man has been found guilty over his involvement in an Adelaide city nightclub stabbing.
Mathiang Malok, 25, was found guilty by a District Court judge of one count of aggravated affray and two counts of aggravated causing harm with intent to cause harm on Thursday.
The court previously heard Malok had been identified through CCTV footage as being involved in a March 2022 fight – which occurred at the Nairobi Affair Lounge on Grenfell Street – in Adelaide.
District Court judge Joanne Tracey found that Malok was captured on CCTV striking a man repeatedly while he had a “small knife in his right hand.”
Judge Tracey said his actions were “clearly deliberate” and “focused”.
“It can be inferred from the way [Malok] was repeatedly striking another person and the use of the knife in a stabbing motion that his actions were intentional,” she said.
“There is no suggestion that [Malok] was acting in self-defence or in defence of another, and I accept that anyone in the vicinity, would, from [Malok’s] conduct, be fearful for their safety.”
The court also heard he was captured stabbing two other men shortly after, leaving one with “lacerations to his torso and forearm” and another with an injury to the right side of his chest “consistent” with a stabbing motion made by Malok.
Multiple people were charged over the incident in which several victims were stabbed or assaulted with weapons.
People said at the time six people were hospitalised, one in a critical condition.
“Neither assault can be said to be accidental or voluntary,” Judge Tracey said.
“[Malok’s] actions were plainly intended to cause harm, and the offences are aggravated by the use of the knife.”
He was previously facing charges of attempted murder over his actions during the brawl, but they were dropped prior to the trial commencing.
Judge Tracey found the prosecution’s case was “overwhelming” and she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Malok was the same person shown in both the CCTV and police body-worn camera footage of the incident.
She said one of the witnesses – employed as a security guard at the lounge during the incident – had conceded that “the events of that night came entirely as a shock to him and were frightening”.
“He had to worry about his own safety and about the knives that the man had in his hand,” she said.
“He had the visual distraction of the events that were taking place in the background, of which he had to be aware.”
The matter will return to court next month.
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