POLOKWANE – The case in which Rameez Patel stands accused of the murder of his wife Fatima in April 2015, has been postponed to 2022.
The parties met with Limpopo judge president Judge Makgoba on October 5 to look at suitable dates for the next court appearance. The presiding judge, judge Joseph Raulinga, hails from Gauteng and is not available for the rest of the year. The first available date is January next year.
The case was today (October 6) postponed to January 4 to 14. The defence indicated that they will present two more witnesses.
This followed the case being postponed twice: first on September 28 and then on September 30 due to the ill health of Patel’s advocate, Meschak Thipe.
Fatima’s murder case has been postponed numerous times during the last six years.
Read more: Patel: My brother was forced to testify against me
Rameez’s brother, Razeen, previously fled to England, allegedly out of fear for Patel, who he feared “may also get rid of him.” Shortly before Razeen was to testify before court, he was wounded.
Read more: Murder accused Rameez Patel’s brother, Razeen, shot four times
Razeen later testified about the tense relationship between his mother and Rameez, Rameez in turn testified about the poor relationship between his mother and Razeen.
The case in which Patel stood accused on the murder of his mother, Mehajeen Patel in 2017 was provisionally struck off the roll in August this year, after the state could not produce its key witnesses. It may be re-opened when these witnesses have been found.
