The Limpopo High Court in Polokwane today sentenced 38-year-old businessman Rameez Patel to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his wife, Fatima, in 2015.

In addition to the life sentence, Judge Joseph Raulinga sentenced Patel to a further five years for the unlawful possession of a firearm and three years for the unlawful possession of ammunition, Polokwane Review reports.

The court also declared Patel unfit to possess a firearm.

A decade of legal battles

The sentencing brings to an end a high-profile legal saga that began in 2016.

Fatima Patel was found shot dead in the couple’s Nirvana apartment on April 10, 2015.

While Patel initially pleaded not guilty and claimed intruders were responsible for the attack, forensic evidence and witness testimony told a different story.

During the trial, it was revealed that:

• There were no signs of forced entry at the apartment.
• The couple had been involved in ongoing marital disputes related to Patel’s extramarital affairs.
• Patel’s younger brother, Razeen, testified that Rameez instructed him to hide a box containing a firearm at a shop and threatened to kill him if he spoke out.
• A cricket bat was recovered from the ceiling of the apartment and presented as evidence.
• Forensic evidence confirmed Fatima died from a gunshot wound to the head and had sustained other injuries before her death.

No remorse shown

During the three-day sentencing process, the defence called clinical psychologist Dr Lebogang Selahle, who recommended house arrest.

However, during cross-examination, she conceded she was unaware Patel had already been convicted.

In aggravation of sentence, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Lethabo Mashiane argued that life imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence, citing the disturbing nature of the femicide and the national crisis of GBV.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Raulinga noted that Patel showed no remorse and that there were no substantial or compelling circumstances to justify a lighter sentence.

NPA welcomes justice

The NPA has welcomed the life sentence.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo, Advocate Ivy Thenga, noted that justice has finally been served in a case that highlights the ongoing scourge of GBV in South Africa.

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