Share

Miguel Louw murder accused shouts out in court as bail denied

There was a brief outburst in the Durban Regional Court from Mohammed Ebrahim, the man accused of murdering 9-year-old Durban boy Miguel Louw.

"This is not justice. I want to see my father," he yelled out as he was taken into police custody.

He will be spending Christmas in prison after Magistrate Sifiso Luthuli ruled the case would return on January 31, to allow police to wrap up their investigation.  

Ebrahim was incensed when Luthuli handed down his decision, standing up in defiance and saying that police should have completed their investigation.

The magistrate, however, quickly ordered him to be quiet.

"This is a court. You cannot express yourself in this way. If you have an issue, you must talk to your lawyer."

Delivering his decision, Luthuli emphasised that Ebrahim had been uncooperative and combative when he took the stand in his bail application.

"Ebrahim was a poor witness. He was argumentative and evasive. He was economical with his details of his version. His attitude was that he should only disclose to the court on what he is asked about."

READ: Miguel Louw murder accused devious and calculating, court hears

Luthuli added that Ebrahim – who was the last person seen with Louw at a KFC in Sydenham on July 17 – had been evasive and less than truthful about the fact that he was with the boy on the day.

"He did not tell [the] boy's mother or police that he had met the deceased after school. That was disingenuous. He only admitted to it after police showed him footage."

'The stakes are higher now'

Luthuli said that Ebrahim was a flight risk.

"If released on bail, he will attempt to evade his trial. I say so because he lives at a Wendy house at his parents. His assets are minimal. He has not stayed there all the time. For one year, he moved out and stayed somewhere else in Phoenix."

READ MORE: Miguel Louw murder-accused's bail bid: Strained family ties, shoddy living arrangements come to light

He said that, even though Ebrahim had never previously missed a court date, he had now been charged with murder.

"That is all well and good, but the stakes are higher now. He has been charged with premeditated murder, which comes with a life sentence."

Luthuli said that Ebrahim had also attempted to meet with Louw's mother when he was previously out on bail.

"This means there is a likelihood that if released on bail, the accused will attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses and conceal evidence."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
42% - 517 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
58% - 728 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.89
+0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.84
+0.3%
Rand - Euro
20.36
+0.4%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.30
+0.3%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE