Patel lawyer berated by judge

Tumi Mokoena, Legal Counsel for the defence in the Rameez Patel case was on Tuesday told in no uncertain terms by Joseph Raulinga, the presiding judge in the case, that he was wasting the court’s time by asking David Nkuna, witness under cross examination at the time, the same question over and over, as he was repeatedly getting the same answer.
Patel stands accused of murdering his wife, Fatima in April 2015.
Mokoena told Raulinga “The witness’s answers are not always what I want,” and said he was not getting the answer he was seeking. Raulinga retorted that one did not always get the answers one wants.
The incident happened after Raulinga warned Mokoena to ask relevant and to the point questions during the afternoon. This after a morning of bickering between the defence lawyer and the state prosecutor over questions asked during cross examination.
Raulinga said Mokoena wanted the witness to contradict himself while Mokoena maintained that he was discrediting the witness as his written and spoken testimonies differ. Raulinga said Mokoena would have time later, when he submitted his argument or submission to say that he was not satisfied.
Nkuna, the initial and later replaced investigating officer on the case had been in the witness box since Monday and was still being cross-examined yesterday (Wednesday). Mokoena wanted to know exactly when Nkuna had asked the accused about the disappearance of Fatima’s cell phone and handbag’s as well as where the Police went to pick up the clothes Patel was wearing when found holding the deceased’s body as well as when Patel went to shower and put on clean clothes. Nkuna testified that a track suit collected from the house of Patel’s uncle was blood-stained, but the tee-shirt that was also in the plastic bag not. He also said the clothes were brought to his uncle’s place by someone.
The trial, which started last Monday, continues.

Story and photo: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Rameez Patel leaves the High Court building in Polokwane earlier this week.