Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
Former terror accused Farhad Hoomer, believes there is ‘foul play in the courtroom’ in a closed trial of three people charged with the murder of a British botanist couple, who were killed in South Africa.
He wants access to the trial and has attempted to apply before the courts.
Hoomer, through his legal team, approached the Durban High Court requesting permission to sit-in on the trial of Sayfudeen Aslam Del Vecchio‚ his wife Fatima Bibi Patel, and their Malawian boarder Ahmad “Bazooka” Mussa.
The trio is on trial for the alleged kidnapping and murder of Rodney and Rachel Saunders, who went missing in northern KwaZulu-Natal in February 2018.
At the time of their murder, the Saunders couple was understood to have been searching for rare plants and seeds in the Ngoye Forest.
The trio was previously accused of having links to ISIS and charged with contravention of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act, but those charges against them had been dropped. Aside from murder, they face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft, and malicious damage to property.
Hoomer says as someone who was also falsely accused of terrorism, he feels connected to their case and wants justice for Del Vecchio‚ Patel, and Mussa.
“Del Vecchio and Fatima Patel have been in contact with me and said there has been foul play in the courtroom. So, I attended some parts of the trial initially. Eventually, they cordoned the court off and didn’t let me in. The only reason I went to sit in was because I heard there was foul play. When I went to court, I saw the prosecutor talking to a witness outside court and I had given an affidavit about what I saw. This is unethical and I believe they are trying to frame the accused,” Hoomer claimed.
He said five or six people are applying for permission to attend the trial because they need justice.
“We don’t want foul play and don’t want them to be sentenced for something they have not done. Their own families have been barred from attending the court proceedings. How is this fair?” questioned Hoomer.
In October 2018, Hoomer and 11 others were arrested on terrorism-related charges linked to the planting of several incendiary devices at various locations in and around Durban, including Woolworths stores. They also faced charges linked to a fatal attack at the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam which claimed the life of Abbas Essop, in May 2018.
After almost two years of delays with the case, and the state not being ready to proceed with trial, the matter was struck off the court roll in July 2020.
“As someone who has gone through something similar with the state, I feel that I need to be there so that there is accountability. They initially accused them of being terrorists and they failed with that. That’s why we got involved because we heard there’s injustice. If it were an open court case then we wouldn’t mind but clearly, there is a lot to hide,” said Hoomer.
He said the initial judge, Sharmane Balton, who was presiding over the trial recused herself from the case, which also suggests how poorly handled the case has been.
The trial had to start all over again, with a new judge.
