Family in bid to reopen murder case

13 years since father was stabbed to death

IT has been 13 years since Capetonian Ebrahim Fakier Mohamed was stabbed to death during a store robbery in Walmer Estate — and his family are still awaiting justice.

Mohamed’s daughter, 33year-old Yasmin, is seeking closure for herself, her mother and brother after the death of her father, then 63 years old, by trying to get his case reopened.

According to Western Cape police spokesman Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana, Mohamed’s case went cold in March last year because not enough evidence to point to suspects in his killing was found. A suspect was arrested in 2012 and later released owing to a lack of evidence.

The case was reopened in January last year and the same suspect was rearrested. He was again released owing to a lack of evidence.

The docket was filed as completed in August 2012

There was blood everywhere — on the walls, the pavement

and the case has remained dormant.

It could only be reopened if someone came forward with fresh evidence, said Kinana.

Mohamed’s family cannot find peace. “It’s been bad. My mother never got a grant — nothing,” said Yasmin.

She remembers the crime scene.

“There was blood everywhere — on the walls, the pavement. The drains were full of blood.”

Yasmin’s uncle, academic Ashraf Mohamed, had been following up on the case, but this year he moved to Canada to take up a teaching position. Yasmin has taken up the matter.

Former Western Cape provincial community police board chairman Hanif Loonat said: “I’m setting up a meeting for Tuesday with the station and cluster commander to reopen the docket. I mean, the murder is not being investigated — why?

“I can see that the family is very despondent.

“This death has prejudiced them financially, socially and emotionally.”