Cape Town - A Sea Point attorney accused of violently attacking and strangling his girlfriend has been denied bail by the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court and will now be remanded in custody for his trial.
In a scathing ruling on Wednesday, magistrate Alida Theart said the evidence before her suggested that attorney Rael Kassel attempted to mislead the court on his medical condition in his bid for freedom.
Kassel, represented by advocate Dirk Uys, appeared disgruntled in the dock as the magistrate read out her judgment, lambasting the defence team for going against bail procedures.
According to the judgment, Kassel was arrested on July 4 after handing himself over to Sea Point police following an altercation with his girlfriend, Sheline Uygun.
He claimed that during the argument on June 25, she had allegedly accused him of owing her R67 000 and demanded he pay it and transfer his vehicle to her so she could sell it.
Kassel did not deny a physical altercation, but denied attempting to kill Uygun.
Theart said that during the bail application, it was revealed that just more than a year ago, Kassel was also charged with assaulting Uygun, but the case was withdrawn after the couple opted for mediation.
Uygun took the stand at the time and told the court that Kassel had beaten her and choked her while saying: “I will kill you.”
She broke free and went to a doctor, who recorded her injuries. She subsequently obtained an interim protection order.
One of Kassel’s own attorneys took the stand and told the magistrate that his client had been diagnosed with stage 5 kidney failure. This information was allegedly relayed to his legal team when Kassel was transferred from the holding cells at Sea Point SAPS to New Somerset Hospital.
Theart said no evidence was provided by the defence teams to corroborate this in the bail hearings.
She shockingly revealed that police officers submitted statements saying that Kassel, a diabetic, intentionally spiked his own sugar levels so he could be returned to hospital and police had to confiscate cookies and chocolates he obtained during his court appearances.
The magistrate said the defence teams highlighted his role as a practising attorney, saying his clients would suffer losses during his incarceration, but the magistrate was adamant that the profession of an individual had no bearing on a bail outcome.
“I note that he is a member of the law society but he could well be a doctor or a professor or someone sweeping the streets. We are all equal before the law and will be treated as such in this courtroom.”
Theart denied his bail application and the case was postponed to September 26.
After court proceedings, Kassel was quickly ushered away by police officers despite a court order that the media may be allowed to photograph him.
After the incident was reported, Theart ordered that he be brought back into the dock.
“You have no other news to report,” the annoyed attorney was heard saying.
Cape Argus
[Editor's Note: The headline incorrectly mentioned that the accused was facing a murder charge, instead of an attempted murder charge. We apologise for the error.]