Conflicting evidence was heard in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court when Mohamed Patel, accused of murdering his childhood friend Jonah Mothilal, applied for bail.

Investigating officer, Sergeant S. Mngomezulu, took to the witness stand last Thursday to testify about why the court should not grant Patel bail.

Mothilal’s body was found by a passing truck driver on Majuba Pass on the evening of July 8. He had been shot in the head by a single 9 mm round – the cartridge of which was found next to his body.

Patel had told the Mothilal family that he had left Jonah at the side of the road, halfway to Volksrust, to view a car he wanted to buy. Patel could not wait for him as he had to rush back to Newcastle to attend a family dinner.

Taking to the stand, Mnogmezulu stated that they have a strong case against Patel. He testified that they discovered R294 000 in his yard when police searched the Patel home.

Patel’s family members claimed to know nothing of the money.

Mnogmezulu testified that Patel has a licenced firearm but told him that he and the deceased were robbed in Balfour on their way to Johannesburg and that robbers stole his gun.

He said the car’s tracker data and CCTV footage from various garages along the way to Volksrust and Standerton, contradicts Patel’s version about the trip.

In his bail application, Patel described himself as the breadwinner detailing that he is permanently employed and earning R15 000 per month.

Mngomezulu testified that investigations revealed Patel was employed by his uncle at a store that sells uniform, sportswear, stationary and fishing equipment in Dundee.

The uncle could not provide any proof of his R15 000 salary. Furthermore, the Department of Labour has no employment history – disproving his employment from 2018.

Patel asked the court to consider that he had no pending cases.

Mngomezulu testified that Patel has an ongoing case from his July 8 arrest in which he was charged with the negligent loss of a firearm, failure to report a lost firearm and failure to store the firearm safely.

Patel’s defence attorney said they were told that the firearms charges and the murder charge are all part of the same case.

Mnogmezulu further objected to Patel’s release, claiming that when police arrived to arrest him, his bags were packed as if he were about to flee.

When officials checked his phone, they discovered a message from his girlfriend that read: ‘Don’t leave Newcastle because if you do, you will appear suspicious’.

The investigating officer also said he fears ‘a religious war’ in Newcastle because the deceased was Christian and the accused is Muslim.

As evidence of growing tensions between the opposing groups, Mngomezulu handed in signed petitions circulating against the release of Patel on bail as well as a post from the accused’s uncle where he wrote, “Denial of bail without concrete evidence undermines the principle of due process and could potentially ruin an innocent person’s life.”

The matter was postponed until a later date.