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Limpopo authorities have confirmed that the man who allegedly shot and injured the brother of murder accused Rameez Patel has handed himself over to police.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo told News24 on Thursday that the man handed himself over on Wednesday.
"We were actually on the verge of issuing a media statement yesterday [Wednesday] to ask anyone who has seen the suspect to let us know, because he would have assisted with the case," Mojapelo said.
READ: Rameez Patel's bail application postponed after his co-accused escapes from custody
Netwerk24 reported that Razeen Patel was in a critical but stable condition after he was shot over the weekend.
He was supposed to testify in his brother's murder trial on Monday.
It was reported that when Rameez heard about his brother's shooting during his trial in the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Monday, he threw his hands in the air and shook his head in disbelief.
"How will this make me look? It will look like I am infamous. Thank God I am in custody, otherwise the police would have suspected me," he told Netwerk24.
Mother's murder case
Razeen was recalled after a prosecution application. He had claimed that he felt intimidated when he initially gave evidence.
Razeen was meant to testify at the same court the previous Monday, but failed to appear.
When an investigating officer went to his Nirvana home in Polokwane, he found the man's bakkie as well as the key to his house and his cellphone. A bloodstain was also spotted on the ground. The police officer then looked into his witness' whereabouts.
National Prosecuting Authority Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi told News24 last Friday that Razeen was later "found well in his home" and was expected to testify on Monday.
Rameez has been charged with the murder of his wife, Fatima Patel, who was found dead in a pool of blood at the accused's rental apartment in Nirvana, Polokwane, in April 2015.
He is also accused of murdering his mother, Mahjebeen Patel, who was shot and killed in September 2017 while he was out on bail.
In late August 2016 his father, Feroz Patel, was killed in what was initially believed to be an armed robbery. Police said at the time that nothing had been stolen.
Rameez is expected back in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court for his mother's murder case on July 30.
The case involving his wife's murder is expected to resume on September 17 in the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou.
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