A man whose son was killed during a scuffle over the smoking of dagga at a religious function has forgiven the killer.
|||Durban - A Durban businessman whose son was fatally shot during a scuffle over the smoking of dagga at a religious function at the weekend said on Monday he had forgiven the killer.
Mohammed Asif Jogee, 30, was shot in the leg on Saturday night at David Landau Hall in Crocus Road, Springfield. He was admitted to hospital but died the following morning.
It is believed the bullet hit an artery.
Mohammed’s father, Hassim Jogee, owner of air conditioner business Breeze Air in Sherwood, told the Daily News he did not even want to know who killed his son, who he said was an innocent bystander. He said he had no space in his heart for malice and revenge, but only for forgiveness.
Jogee said the law would take its course.
Police spokesman, Captain Myen Lazarus, said one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder were being investigated.
“A bullet grazed a woman on her leg. She was treated and discharged from hospital,” Lazarus said. “A man is in hospital under police guard. He is recovering from stab wounds. A firearm was also recovered.”
Lazarus said it was unclear what had transpired.
Jogee said he and his family were attending an annual religious function on Saturday night, when a dispute took place in the parking lot.
According to guests at the function, a group of 15 men were smoking dagga outside and the smoke was entering the hall through the windows.
An elderly man in the food preparation area had asked the men to move. It is alleged that the men began using obscene language. The noise attracted several more men from the hall, who came outside to investigate. A fight ensued.
Jogee said: “I came to the back of the hall with a cup of tea in my hand. I noticed a brawl outside. I took one of the men out from the fight and separated the rest. I walked back into the hall. A short while later, I was notified that my son had been shot.”
Bystanders in the parking lot said another man had appeared after the first fight and asked them who had assaulted his son. Another altercation ensued and the man was severely beaten and stabbed.
During the second altercation, a gunshot went off. The bullet grazed a woman’s leg and hit Mohammed.
Jogee said his son was not aware he had been shot but had told his friend he was feeling weak. His friend noticed a pool of blood forming on his leg.
Jogee said he used a woman’s scarf to tie a tourniquet around his son’s thigh and rushed him to hospital.
“The bullet entered at the back of his thigh and exited out the front, bursting a main artery vessel. He had lost a lot of blood by the time we arrived at hospital. He was in the theatre for about four hours.
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Jogee said he watched as the machines kept his son alive.
“My thought was for the immediate family to be there with him. My heart sank when I heard the doctors saying they could not get his blood pressure up. I told the doctors to keep the machines going,” he said.
“After reading my morning prayer at 6.20am, I saw him one more time. About 20 minutes later he passed on,” Jogee said.
“My son was an innocent bystander; he was never there when the fight took place.”
Mohammed, a director of his father’s business, was an avid soccer player and did a lot of charitable work, Jogee said.
He leaves a son of five and a seven-month-old daughter.
“His last request was to have some water. I gave him a drop of water,” Jogee said. “Nothing will bring him back.”
Daily News