A ‘victim’ of road rage was unable to explain to the Newcastle Regional Court how he managed to escape with a scratch on the nose, while his ‘attacker’ was stabbed nine times.
This murder case, which was finalised in court last Thursday, related to an incident which occurred more than six years ago.
Pleading not guilty to a murder charge, Aloyius Kalan, popularly known as ‘Bucks’, attempted to convince the court that Greg Ihlenfeldt had initiated the attack, which inadvertently caused his own death.
Bucks denied stabbing Greg and claimed Greg had attacked him with a knife. He further stated he was only trying to defend an unlawful attack on his own life, and Greg sustained fatal injuries while Bucks was trying to disarm him.
“I had no intention to hurt or kill the deceased and believe I was justified to act as I did. The deceased was the sole cause of his death,” stated Bucks.
However, he had no explanation for how Greg was stabbed nine times in places where it would be anatomically impossible for him to have inflicted the wounds on himself.
Bucks’ attorney, Advocate Christo van Schalkwyk even brought in a medical expert, Dr R Naidoo, to give credence to his version of events, a version discredited by Dr Marek Stawicki, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on Greg.
“How do you stab yourself in the inner part of your right arm just above the elbow, while holding a 20mm long steak knife in your right hand in the icepick grip typically used in knife attacks?”
Challenged by State Prosecutor, Mr P Lithole to demonstrate how this was possible, Dr Naidoo’s testimony fell flat.
Lithole argued that in order for Greg to have sustained this wound, it seems more feasible Bucks was in possession of the knife and Greg was trying to block off the attack with his arm.
‘Mind-boggling’ was the word used by Magistrate Theunis Colditz, to describe the evidence presented by Dr Naidoo.
Mag Colditz admitted feeling surprised and disappointed upon hearing this medical professional’s testimony.
The incident of road rage arose when Bucks apparently cut Greg off in traffic, at the intersection of Allen and Paterson Streets on May 6, 2013.
During the course of the trial, the court heard how Greg, expressing his annoyance at being cut off, closely followed the silver bakkie Bucks was travelling in, while showing Bucks the middle finger, flashing his lights, and hurling vulgarities.
Bucks was driving back home from Midas, with his sister in the passenger seat.
Greg was travelling alone in his white Volkswagen Fox.
During the trial, Bucks maintained he was trying to get away from Greg and only stopped to inspect the damage after Greg bumped his bakkie and threw something at the back windscreen.
Read the full story in the Newcastle Advertiser.
ALSO READ: Faraday Street road rage killer sentenced to 15 years behind bars
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