Limpopo businessman Rameez Patel has been granted bail of R250 000 again – in a second murder case – to enable him to “parent his children”.

Magistrate Ndivhuwo Munyai said on Thursday that the court was satisfied that Patel had managed to prove compelling circumstances to have him released.

Patel was already out on R250 000 bail for his wife Fatima’s murder in April, when he was arrested on a second murder charge after the death of Tony Adams, who was beaten to death.

The state alleged that in 2013, Patel assaulted and killed Adams after he tried to break into the home owned by Patel’ s parents.

He now faces two separate murder charges, and police also revealed that there is another investigation underway.

Munyai said the state failed to provide evidence that Patel was plotting to flee the country and would interfere with key witnesses.

Munayi said there was no evidence that Patel’s release posed a danger to society.

The magistrate also lashed out at the State for failing to hand over Adams’ autopsy report, saying it would not rely on hearsay as it required facts to make a determination.

Munyai said he doubted that Patel would flee the country as his passport had been handed over to the police.

Earlier the investigating officer told the court they feared that Patel would flee to Britain or India without a passport, rather than face a maximum life sentence if found guilty.

But in granting bail, Munyai said at no stage did the State and its witnesses provide evidence that the applicant was planning to flee.

Munyai accepted the argument that if Patel wanted to flee, he would have done so before the second arrest.

The court also ordered the State to give Patel’s defence a list of witnesses in the case.

State prosecutor Madelien Roloefse said they had a strong case and would prove during trial that Patel was responsible for the murder of Adams.

The case has been postponed to September 28 for further investigation. News24