Patel back in court in January

Double murder accused Rameez Patel will spend his second Festive Season behind bars after the case in which he stands trial for the alleged murder of his wife Fatima was postponed by the Limpopo High Court to January.
Defence attorney Johann Engelbrecht indicated last Thursday that he intended applying for his client’s discharge. Engelbrecht however requested the full transcript of the case before bringing the application for dismissal.
The 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 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.
When the case resumed on Thursday afternoon both counsels agreed on a postponement until next year.

Story: RC Myburgh
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