Shocking testimony given by Razeen Patel, the brother of double murder accused Rameez, justifies the high level of security under which Razeen was being escorted in and out of the Limpopo High Court earlier this week.
Razeen was accompanied by members of the witness protection unit of the Police who remained by his side even in the witness stand. Allegedly fearing for his life as he already lost his mother Mahejeen and father Feroz and having survived an attack on his own life in July, precautions were evident as Rameez was shackled during his brother’s testimony.
Razeen arrived from the UK on the weekend in order to testify against his brother who stands trial for the alleged murder of his wife Fatima at their Nirvana home in April 2015.
To prosecutor Lethabo Mashiane’s question on what had led to Razeen’s decision to reside in the UK since July he indicated that since Fatima’s death he had been threatened by his brother on several occasions.
Rameez’s confession to his brother
Razeen elaborated on what happened on the day of Fatima’s death saying that he was at the couple’s home when his brother arrived and stormed into the house.
Fatima was allegedly packing her belongings with the intention to leave after an argument with Rameez who had advised Razeen to take their children and the nanny to their family wholesaler.
According to Razeen his brother arrived at the wholesaler about 30 minutes later with wet hair and fresh clothes. “When I asked about Fatima he told me that he had killed her. She is dead you idiot and if you tell anyone you are next,” Rameez allegedly told his brother.
Threats
According to Razeen that was the first time Rameez threatened him. He allegedly said he would kill their parents if Razeen told them about it.
In his testimony Razeen said their father was gunned down in what appeared to have been a robbery about two weeks after he had told him what Rameez had said on the day of Fatima’s murder. He added that his mother was shot by an intruder at her home in Nirvana about a week after he had told her. Mahejeen Patel died in hospital later.
Razeen further testified that he was even threatened by his brother at the open grave of his mother. “He pointed to the coffin and said ‘You don’t know me. I will put you in there as well,’ he claimed.
Razeen was allegedly choked by Rameez on several occasions. The trial with Razeen as key witness was scheduled to start in July but a day before the case he was shot in the face and arm outside Mankweng.
Getting rid of evidence
Razeen testified that on the day of the murder Rameez arrived at the wholesaler with Fatima’s handbag, bloody clothes, toys and a firearm. He allegedly asked Razeen to put everything in a black bag and into a box and to hide it in the warehouse.
A week after Fatima’s death Rameez was arrested and Razeen received a call from his brother’s current wife, Nazreen Mayet. They allegedly met in Nirvana where she handed him a cell phone with Rameez on the line telling him to give the box to Nazreen.
They met again the following day in Ster Park where Razeen reportedly gave the box to Mayet. The case is expected to continue today (Thursday) after it was postponed on Tuesday as a second witness was not able to testify.
Story: RC Myburgh
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