Bail denied for Miguel Louw’s alleged killer

The 10-year-old boy went missing from Sydenham on the afternoon of July 17 and was found dead in Phoenix, in early September.

Detective Warrant Officer Rajan Govender, of the Serious and Violent Crime Unit, arrested Mohammed Ebrahim - a one time colleague of Miguel’s mother - for Miguel's murder earlier this month. He launched an application for bail last week and Magistrate Sifiso Luthuli handed down his ruling this morning.

Magistrate Luthuli said that contrary to the defence's submissions, he thinks the State's case against Ebrahim is strong and that the circumstantial evidence shows he had both motive and opportunity. 

He has described Ebrahim as a poor witness who was argumentative, evasive and economical with his version. 

Luthuli found that Ebrahim did not proffer any exceptional circumstances and that the interests of justice do not permit his release on bail because he is indeed a flight risk and likely to interfere with State witnesses. 

The case is due back in court in January.