Yuot Bull Alaak guilty to carrying knife at Nairobi Affair Lounge gang brawl
A rising star athlete and son of a revered community leader has learned his fate after pleading guilty to a weapons charge.
Police & Courts
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A rising basketball star and son of a revered community leader has been spared punishment for carrying “a big, scary knife” near the scene of the Nairobi Affair Lounge gang brawl.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Yuot Bull Alaak, 19, pleaded guilty to carrying an offensive weapon in the vicinity of the brawl in March this year.
The court was told Alaak plays professionally for Central Districts and intends to pursue an NBA career in the US - and that had no involvement in the clash between the 051 and KBS street gangs.
He was instead captured on CCTV - and seen by SA Police - walking toward the brawl carrying a sheathed machete “as long as a piece of A4 paper”, and then dropping it into a bin when spoken to.
On Tuesday, Tim Dibden, for Alaak, said his client had earlier fled from the brawl, returned to his friend’s car and found the sheathed machete on the back seat.
“He took it with him while he went to look for his friend’s amongst the melee … he was concerned for them, there was a big brawl going on,” he said.
“He had seen people (in the brawl) holding what he thought was an extendible baton and thought ‘if I’m going back, I’m taking this’ - but he never took it out of its scabbard.
“Notwithstanding the fact it’s a big, scary knife, it was never unsheathed and never used against a person.”
He said Alaak’s father was a “revered” leader of the state’s South Sudanese community, and had passed away earlier this year.
“That’s a mantle this young man is endeavouring to carry himself, as a role model for others with his same background in the SA community,” he said.
Mr Dibden asked Alaak be spared a conviction, in order to preserve his chances of pursuing his sport in the US - a course prosecutors did not oppose.
The state’s chief magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, agreed Alaak had good prospects of rehabilitation, warranting him being spared a conviction.
“There’s no doubt weapons, particularly bladed weapons like this, have the potential to cause tremendous harm in the community,” she said.
“You need to be very, very clear in your thinking that you will never use nor carry a weapon like this again - there is simply no place for it.’
She imposed an 18-month, $500 good behaviour bond.
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