PAGAD G-FORCE has called on authorities to trace the witness in the murder case of cousins Umar Majiet and Moegamat Tawfeeq Cummings after the case was provisionally withdrawn against the alleged killer last week.
The organisation revealed the news on social media over the weekend as the case returned to the Wynberg Regional Court last Tuesday.
The cousins, who were both hafith (memorised the Qur’an), were shot and killed in a suspected hijacking in Hanover Park on 6 September 2023.
At the time, hartseer mense gathered at the crime scene in Lonedown Walk where their silver Nissan Micra was found crashed into the fence of an old age home.
Umar, 25, was the son of well-known Sheikh Nabiel Majiet, and died just days before his wife was due to give birth, said his heartbroken mom Fazlin.
Tawfeeq’s mother, Zainab Majiet, says at the time of the incident he was driving his brother-in-law’s car.
Tawfeeq had started studying the Qur’an when he was 13 years old, she adds, and completed it five years later.
Their death sparked an uproar as thousands of grieving loved ones attended the janazah.
Cops later busted Leroy "Keff" Houston and during his first appearance at the Athlone Magistrates Court he was informed that Houston was facing two counts of murder and one count of illegal possession of a firearm.
The State prosecutor told the court that Houston along with an eye witness obtained a lift from the cousins and that he first shot Tawfeeq who was driving and then Umar.
The prosecutor further said that the State would oppose his release on bail but due to the parole conditions a bail application was not possible and also confirmed that Houston handed himself over at Pollsmoor Prison.
Sadu Davids of PAGAD G-FORCE says they were dismayed to hear the charges had been withdrawn.
It is understood that the charges have been provisionally withdrawn as the state witness could not be traced ahead of the trial.
Davids says: "We are very disappointed that the charges have been withdrawn.
"The detectives must go and trace this witness. Two young innocent lives were lost and the next person that Keff kills, the blood will be on the hands of the state.
"We must never forgot this is double murder. Wives have become widows and children have lost their fathers.
"The detectives and tracing unit must do their work and find the State witness so the families can get justice."
