Alleged wife killer smiles as witness contradicts himself

Polokwane - Businessman Rameez Patel, who is seeking bail on a charge of murdering his wife, smiled for the first time in court on Monday while a key State witness repeatedly contradicted himself over residue gunshot tests. 

Warrant Officer Thupetsi Mogaoi, of the local criminal record centre, contradicted himself in a packed Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Mogaoi told the court that Patel tested positive in a gun residue test conducted after the death of his wife, Fatima Patel.

She was found dead in a pool of blood, with a gun wound to the head, in the couple’s rented apartment in Nirvana, a suburb in Polokwane, on April 10.

Six days later her husband was arrested and charged with her murder.

The 29-year-old businessman has launched a bid to be released on bail.

Mogoai initially said Patel tested positive in the gun residue test and that he had gunpowder on his hands.

But when defence lawyer Tumi Mokwena cross-examined him, Mogaoi changed his version, saying that only Fatima tested positive in the gunshot residue test.

Mokwena accused the State of putting words in Mogaoi's mouth, as Patel watched with a smile.

When asked to interpret the test results, Mogaoi replied: “This means the analyst got the gunpowder on the deceased, and the results have no characteristics of gun on the accused.”

The hearing continues.