Businessman tells of fight over hammer

Panel-beating company owner accused of assault

Businessman John Killik recalled in court on Tuesday how he was allegedly knocked to the ground by the owner of a panel-beating company in a squabble about a 6kg hammer.

Killik, 73, the CEO of Legal Assist Trust, was testifying in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court.

He has accused Eugene van Vuuren, 34, of assaulting him following an incident on December 11 2015.

Van Vuuren, who owns a panel-beating business and is being represented by attorney Danie Gouws, pleaded not guilty to the assault charge on Tuesday.

Prior to the alleged attack, Killik told the court, he had given Van Vuuren a hammer to use which he failed to return two weeks later.

Killik then approached him at his business.

“I entered his premises and informed him that I had come to collect the hammer he wanted to use to break down a concrete wall,” Killik said.

“He immediately became aggressive, saying he never borrowed the hammer from me.”

Asked by Gouws how Van Vuuren had become aggressive, Killik said the tone in his voice had changed and he stopped smiling.

It was at this point that Van Vuuren allegedly charged towards Killik.

“He grabbed me by the front of my shirt using his left hand and I was pushed back until I was outside,” Killik said.

“He punched me in the shoulder with his right hand with such force that I flew backward and my feet were knocked off the ground before I landed on the pavement.

“I landed so hard that I was unable to get up.”

Gouws questioned Killik about his reputation for resorting to the courts, pointing out that he had tried to sue The Herald when it reported that he had taken a firearm to the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court in 2000.

Gouws also told the court that Killik has instituted a R600,000 civil case against Van Vuuren following the assault.

He claimed to have sustained a broken and dislocated shoulder.

Gouws told Killik his version was illogical and did not make sense, while his police statement was also confusing.

“There is a lot of contradictions in the statement you made three years ago which contradicts your evidence today,” he said.

This included Killik saying in his police statement that he did not know Van Vuuren even though the two men both ran businesses in the same vicinity.

Gouws also pointed out that in the police statement taken shortly after the incident, Killik did not know how he had been allegedly hit by Van Vuuren, whereas he testified on Tuesday he had been struck with a right hand.

But Killik blamed this on the police officer who took the statement, saying it had been poorly written and some of the information was left out.

The case was postponed to October 3.

‘He became aggressive, saying he never borrowed the hammer from me’ John Killik

BUSINESSMAN