POLOKWANE – A second accused, Danford Gundidza was arrested in the murder case of Fanie Adams and appeared before the Polokwane magistrate’s court yesterday.
Adams was allegedly brutally assaulted by Rameez Patel, who is co-accused in the murder trial, and who also stands accused for the murder of his wife in April.
Gundidza remains in custody and the case was postponed for formal bail application.
Patel is out on bail of R250 000 for his wife’s murder. One of Patel’s bail conditions is that he must report to the Westenburg police station three times a week. When he reported to the station on 31 July he was arrested for Adams’ murder.
In the Adams case, Patel brought a formal bail application on Tuesday which lasted two days. By the time of going to print yesterday, the hearing was still ongoing. Review will update readers on our website, www.reviewonline.co.za.
Lt Col Mahlodi Ramogobedi, principal investigating officer in the Adams murder case, testified that Patel’s brother, Razeen Patel, called him (Rameez) to alert him of an intruder at the house.
“The applicant went to the house and saw his brother (Razeen) beating the diseased with a hockey stick. There were two other men in the yard with his brother. The applicant asked that they open the gate for him. He gave his brother his cellphone, and took the hockey stick from him and beat the intruder. He instructed his brother to take a video of the beating. When the diseased pleaded with him to stop, he told the diseased he was going to break his legs so that he will never walk again,” Ramogobedi said.
When the man failed to move, the accused is said to have ordered the two bystanders to carry the man out of he yard.
“When the two men got to the gate, one of them said he was not going to carry a dead body, because it is against his culture. The applicant then dragged the diseased by his feet for about 200 m to the Oakland Centre. A resident wanted to help with the beating but the applicant refused and said it was not his business. After the assault the applicant left and went home where he changed his clothes. The following day the clothes and hockey stick were burned,” Ramogobedi testified.
Ramogobedi gave five reasons why Patel should not be granted bail:
• The degree of violence used in the Adams matter. It was a horrible beating of a person as if killing a dog, and if he is released on bail the applicant will endanger the safety of the public and any particular person.
• If released he would evade bail, as he faces two murder trials: schedule five and six.
• If released on bail the applicant will interfere with state witnesses.
He already attempted this with the other murder case of his wife, by talking to one of the witnesses, their nanny, to change her statement.
“Luckily I was informed by my informant and stopped it before it could happen. This shows he can interfere with state witnesses,” explained Ramogobedi.
• If released he will undermine the fully function of the criminal justice system. One of his bail conditions in his wife’s murder case is that he must not go anywhere without my consent. On July 7 he went to Thohoyandou even after I said “no”. It shows that the applicant does not respect the law.
• If released the applicant will disturb public order or public security. The community is not happy with the applicant’s repeated crime. If released there is a likelihood that the community will take law into their own hands. “So today I also stand for the safety of the applicant and the safety of the community.”
Tumi Mokwena, who represents the accused, argued that the state has no proof that if Patel is released on bail he will evade trial and has not provided proof as to why the accused should not be released.
READ MORE:
Rameez Patel: ‘assaulted victim with a hockey stick’
Rameez Patel faces another murder charge
Rameez Patel bail conditions amended
Patel hearing: Evidence blooper
Rigor mortis advanced, court hears about Fatima Patel
‘Patel changed clothes 3 times that day’ Const David Nkuna
‘I didn’t kill my wife’ – Rameez Patel
