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Polokwane - Three bail conditions imposed on a Limpopo businessman accused of murdering his wife were scrapped by the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
This after Rameez Patel's defence lawyer, Tumi Mokwena, argued that his client needed some bail conditions to be relaxed as they were denying him the opportunity to oversee his business.
The court ruled that Patel would no longer have to report three times a day to the Nirvana police station, but rather once a day.
He would also be allowed to travel to his business with the permission of the investigating officer.
Mokwena also asked the court to release the passports of Patel's two children so that they could apply for visas for a trip to Jakarta in August.
“We request amendment of the bail conditions and that the court released the passport of the two children who will travel to Jakarta with their grandparents,” said Mokwena
He said the trip has been set for August 11-22.
This was granted temporarily.
Patel arrived in court dressed in a black suit, and sat chatting on his phone and later greeting some journalists.
Fifteen minutes later he was greeted by some court officials and later joined by his family members.
Mokwena said they wanted the bail conditions to be relaxed because his client was also failing to attend some of his Muslim prayers.
Magistrate Mohammed Shaik ruled that Patel would be allowed to attend Muslim prayers in Thohoyandou on Friday.
He also ruled that the children’s passport must be returned on August 24, and that Patel must never leave the Polokwane magisterial district without the knowledge of the investigating officer.
Patel, 28, was arrested on April 15, five days after his wife was found dead with bullet wounds. He was released on R250 000 bail early in June.
His wife Fatima Patel was found dead at the couple's rental apartment in Nirvana, a suburb in Polokwane.
Shaik postponed the case to September 22 for further investigation.
