BEEF WITH ‘BUTCHER’

THE community of Woodlands is up in arms after a butcher charged with attempting to murder a laaitie by tricking him into drinking acid appeared in court wanting to go back to work.

Nuruddin Tembe, 53, was granted bail of R1 000 but banned from going near the Woodlands area or Mitchell's Moslem Butchery.

He faces charges of attempted murder after he allegedly pranked a 17-year-old laaitie into drinking acid from a Sprite bottle on 11 May which resulted in the victim being admitted to the ICU and put on life support.

But now, the court heard Tembe was spotted breaking his bail conditions by moving goods around Woodlands, and locals say enough is enough.

Lentegeur Community Policing (CPF) sub-forum chairperson Raafiqah Ganger told the Daily Voice that the community feel that Tembe should not be allowed in the area. 

Ganger explains: “The victim lives a stone's throw away from the butcher and we are dissatisfied by the court asking the employer for his input.

“As a community we are against that because the accused is a danger and what won’t he do next because anything can happen. All the people who work at the butcher’s lives are at stake as well.”

The court heard that the owner of the butchery is prepared to take Tembe back, however his legal representative attorney Asghar Mia said his bail conditions are restricting him from working.

He added that there was no proof whether the State’s claims were true.

The magistrate said: “In all fairness, I think we will have to give the state an opportunity to liaise with the employer and to hear the safety of the witness, because the witness is at the [butchery.]

“The witness is to be protected by the courts and this witness will have to work together with the [accused] and to face [the accused] everyday.

"The employer who intends to keep the accused in the employment must find a suitable position for both of them to work in the same place.

“The employer must paint a picture of the set up. Is the [accused] transporting children or employees to work or working together with the witness.”

The magistrate added that the court “fears another prank” and said the State needs to prove or provide statements that Tembe was in fact seen in Woodlands.

The presiding officer said if he is guilty, then his bail will be revoked.

Meanwhile supplementary statements and consultation from the victim still need to be obtained for the investigation.

The butchery previously said in a statement that they will not be commenting further on the “specifics of the case nor taking any public position at this time”.

The court also heard that DNA samples of the chemical found in the bottle still need to be done. The case was postponed to 3 September.