BREAKING NEWS – Defence council intends to apply for Patel’s discharge

Double murder accused Rameez Patel’s defence attorney Johann Engelbrecht indicated during the continuation of trial in the Limpopo High Court this morning (Thursday) that he intends on applying for his client’s discharge.
Engelbrecht however requested the full transcript of the case before bringing the application for dismissal. It reason for the application is apparently supported by irregularities such as witnesses who were allegedly not properly sworn in.
Indication of the application by the defence was raised after the state had closed its case by calling the last witness – a friend of Patel’s brother Razeen who wished not to be identified by the media.
The witness testified to have been with Razeen moments before he dropped off a box allegedly containing a handbag, clothes and a gun at Rameez’s then girlfriend, Nazreen Mayet about a day after he was arrested in connection with the murder of his wife, Fatima.
The witness was not allowed to go with Razeen during the drop-off as Razeen was scared that Mayet would then become suspicious that he might have told someone about the contents of the box.
The defence argued that the witness’s testimony related to hearsay evidence as Razeen had testified nothing about what happened after he returned from Mayet.
The case is expected to continue later this afternoon.

Story: RC Myburgh
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