Assault victim grilled under cross-examination

THE lawyer representing two men in an attempted murder trial on Thursday tried to pin down the 50-year-old victim Max Meyer during cross-examination.

The two accused men, Jacques De Waal and Wolf Kuhn, allegedly repeatedly hit Meyer with an iron bar on his head at his plot at the Hardap Irrigation Scheme near Mariental on April 22 2008.
At the trial in the Mariental Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, Meyer testified that his assailants had threatened to kill him before the attack.
Meyer said De Waal made the death threats after Meyer poured cold water on the suspects’ plans to start a night culling business when approached for financial advice by Kuhn’s father.
‘I told Kuhn senior in the presence of the suspects that the planned night culling business would have far-reaching financial implications,’ Meyer told the court.
Both suspects have pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault by threat.
Defence lawyer, Percy McNally branded Meyer a liar, accusing him of exaggeration.
McNally argued that Meyer had told the Police he only suspected who his attackers were, while in the witness box he told the court that he recognised the suspects at the time of the attack.
‘Why did your family offer a reward of N$20 000 if your assailants were known to you,’ McNally asked Meyer.
Meyer responded that he had no idea why his family had offered the reward, adding that only his family could provide answers to that question.
Several times Magistrate Leopold Natangwe Hangalo warned Meyer to stick to answering the questions posed by the defence lawyer.
McNally argued that Meyer has given three different versions about his assailants.
‘In your Police affidavit you stated you only suspected who your attackers were, while during the bail application of the suspects you testified that you could recognise accused number one [De Waal] by his body length and attitude. But today you again testified you had recognised your assailants when accused one grabbed you around your throat at the time of the attack,’ McNally said.
Meyer ascribed the inconsistencies to his head injuries.
McNally further contended that his clients were at farm Neuland in the Mariental district at the time of the alleged attack.
The court on Friday heard that the distance between farm Neuland and Meyer’s plot is approximately 200 kilometres.
In his testimony Meyer said Kuhn did not attack him at all, pointing out De Waal as the main culprit who repeatedly hit him with an iron bar.
‘Should Kuhn be punished though he had not assisted his co-accused,’ McNally asked Meyer.
‘Yes, he deserves punishment because he did not attempt to stop the attack on me,’ Meyer responded.
When the trial resumed on Friday, McNally applied for the court to visit the crime scene at Meyer’s plot before continuing his cross-examination.
Despite an objection by State Prosecutor Moses Shitaleni, the Magistrate granted the application.
The trial was postponed until August 31.