POLOKWANE – Judge Joseph Raulinga on Monday said he was not happy about Rameez Patel, who stands accused of the death of his wife, not appearing in court.
This was after Patel’s lawyer, Thipe Mahapa, told the court that Patel suspected he might have contracted Covid-19 and was tested earlier that morning as he displayed symptoms.
Raulinga has on numerous occasions complained about this case, where Patel stood accused of the murder of his wife Fatima in April 2015, being postponed. He lamented the fact that “every time there is a postponement, it is on the request of the accused”, adding that Patel was continually avoiding the proceedings.
He said he hoped that Patel had not taken advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid appearing in court. Raulinga said he had previously said he cannot be in Polokwane as from next week, as he had to be in Pretoria.
He provisionally postponed the case to Friday, and extended Patel’s bail.
During Patel’s last court appearance Raulinga warned that he wanted to finalise the case by the end of the year, as he has never had a case that took so long before court.
Mahapa showed the payment receipt at the laboratory as proof of the test being done that morning. Lethabo Mashiane, appearing for the state, also stated his discontent at the turn of events, saying Patel “was just doing anything not to appear,” but added that of course, if he was truly ill, then the court had to close if he did appear. The case was provisionally postponed to Friday 25 September, and the test result had to be presented to the court then.
A warrant of arrest has been stayed until Friday, when the test results are set to be presented.
Read more: Patel granted bail in mom’s murder case
Patel will appear again in court in the second case against him, the murder of his mother, in January 2021.
