WARNING: Story contains graphic details
An Athlone family is demanding justice after a popular drag queen was found stabbed multiple times and had a stick shoved up his anus in what the community calls a hate crime.
Relatives and friends of the flamboyant Adnaan Davids, 30, gathered at his family home in Bokmakierie on Thursday for his janaazah.
A 40-year-old relative, who asked not to be named, says the unemployed man was embroiled in an argument over a stolen cellphone over the weekend and threatened by men in the area.
BLOODY MURDER: Adnaan Davids, 30, of Bokmakierie was a proud gay figure
“He grew up here in Bokmakierie and since small he was always gay,” she says.
“He was very outgoing and his family accepted him as he was, even though people made fun of him.
“On Sunday there was an argument about a stolen phone and Adnaan told me to stay out of it. The phone was returned but someone threatened to rape and kill him.”
She says the next day, someone went to Adnaan’s home and lured him out of the house.
“We don’t know who the person is but Adnaan still took his food with him because he was eating supper. He never came home that night.”
She says on Tuesday morning, a neighbour came to her house saying he had found Adnaan’s body on a veldjie near the N2 highway.
She rushed to the scene and got a skrik when she saw his bloody body.
“When I came there, his mouth was open,” says the hartseer woman.
“I could see more than 20 stab wounds on his face and more stab wounds on his chest.
“He was lying next to a mattress and his bakkie food was still there.
“When the forensics came, they lifted up the mattress and found scissors covered with blood.”
But she was in for another big shock.
“One of the forensics guys called me and showed me that when they
lifted his body, they found a long stick shoved up his bum covered in
blood.
“We just can’t believe that he was killed in this way and he was always teased.
“The men used to call him a ‘moffie n***’ but he never let that bother him.
“He liked dressing up in drag and sometimes he entered modelling competitions.”
DISCOVERY: Adnaan Davids’ body in veld
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, confirms a murder case was registered for investigation with no arrests yet.
LGBTQI+ activist, Lesley van Rooyen, says they are devastated by the “hate crime”.
“I knew him for years as a very flamboyant and open person,” says Van Rooyen.
“We are devastated by his death and we believe the manner in which he was killed shows this is a hate crime.
“We just celebrated the annual Cape Town Pride Festival (last week) which sends a message to the communities that as gay people, we are happy and free.
“But this incident sends a strong message that they are not done with us. For me it is very scary.”