Ferrel Govender, a Durban businessman charged with the murder of Shailen Singh has asked the court to release him on bail.
The 40-year-old appeared in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Tuesday morning.
His attorney Ravindra Maniklall handed in an affidavit to the court stating that his client planned to plead not guilty to the charge of murder, describing the allegation that they pre-planned the murder as absurd.
Govender, a father of three minor children, said the single eyewitness during an identity parade did not identify him which he believes will exonerate him.
He said that the witness had 11 days to study his face in media and social media but still did not. Govender said he was of the view that police have yet to catch the perpetrator. It's a case of mistaken identity in his view.
Govender said that the single eyewitness not being able to identify suspects fleeing the crime was an extraordinary factor. He further added that he voluntarily surrendered himself to police when he received the call.
In addition, Govender said police searched his house twice, once without a search warrant.
Govender, the sole director of Pro-Secure, said that his business has many people who rely on him.
The company has thousands of employees, and the annual salary bill was over R180 million. He said no one is capable of running his business beside him and that by being in jail his employees' livelihoods were at risk.
He said he would be happy with any bail amount and was confident he would be acquitted.
IOL