Saturday, December 20, 2025 - A High Court in South Africa has convicted and sentenced a 38-year-old businessman, Rameez Patel, to life imprisonment for the 2015 m8rder of his wife, Fatima Choomara Patel (28).
He was further sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for
unlawful possession of a firearm and three years’ imprisonment for unlawful
possession of ammunition.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on
Friday, December 19, 2025 said court sitting in Polokwane, Limpopo, also
declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm.
Patel pleaded not guilty when the trial commenced in 2016.
The State led evidence showing that the accused and the deceased were married
and living together.
On 10 April 2015, Fatima Patel was found shot d3ad in their
apartment in Nirvana, Polokwane, following ongoing marital disputes related to
the accused’s extramarital affairs.
Police evidence indicated that there were no signs of forced
entry at the apartment. The accused initially alleged that intruders were
responsible, a version that later changed and was contradicted by the
evidence.
The court further heard that Patel instructed his younger
brother, Razeen Patel, to hide a box containing a firearm at a shop after the
murder.
Razeen testified that the accused threatened to k8ll him if
he disclosed the murder to anyone. He later reported the threats and the
confession to the police.
Forensic evidence presented by Dr Thakadu Mamashela revealed that the deceased died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head and had sustained other injuries before her death.
A cricket bat was recovered from the ceiling of the
apartment and formed part of the State’s case.
Patel had been out on bail of R250 000 since 2015, and the
matter has been before the courts since the trial began in 2016.
In mitigation of sentence, the defence called clinical
psychologist Dr Lebogang Selahle, who recommended house arrest.
However, during cross-examination, Dr Selahle conceded that
she was not aware that Patel had been convicted and confirmed that her
recommendation could change in light of the conviction.
She also confirmed that she had not interviewed the
children, who are currently in the care of their maternal grandmother and
aunt.
The accused did not testify in mitigation, and no evidence
was led on his behalf by his current wife.
In aggravation of
sentence, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Lethabo Mashiane,
submitted that life imprisonment was appropriate, emphasising that the matter
was among the most disturbing cases of femicide and reflected the country’s
ongoing gender-based violence crisis.
In handing down the
sentence, Judge Joseph Raulinga noted that sentencing requires a careful
consideration of all relevant factors.
The court found that the
accused showed no remorse and that there were no substantial and compelling
circumstances justifying a deviation from the prescribed minimum
sentence.
Patel was accordingly
sentenced to life imprisonment for m8rder.
“The National Prosecuting
Authority (NPA) welcomes the sentence. The Director of Public Prosecutions in
Limpopo, Advocate Ivy Thenga, noted that gender-based violence has been
declared a national disaster and stated that the NPA is encouraged that justice
has ultimately been served,” the statement read.
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