Three suspects have been taken in for questioning over the death of a Bayview Muezzin. Dawood Kassim who was shot outside the Iqbalia Musjid Mosque in Summersfield Road last week. Kassim, a Malawian national, was a Muezzin at the mosque for the past seven years.
According to Moulana Mubarak Khan, the mosque was open for evening prayer and Kassim was sitting in his vehicle, parked outside the mosque.

"It was around 8:30pm and another member and I noticed him sitting in his car. We passed to go inside the mosque," he said.

Khan stated that a few minutes later, they heard loud noises and the doors of Kassim's vehicle opened and he and two unknown men got out of the vehicle.

"We then heard a gunshot and ran inside the mosque and closed the door. When we came outside, Dawood was lying on the ground, in a pool of blood," Khan said.

He added that he carried Kassim into his vehicle and rushed to the RK Khan Hospital.

Kassim was in a critical condition as the bullet had entered through his mouth. His tongue was lacerated and his jaw, fragmented. He was bleeding profusely.

Khan said that doctors tried to save him but he passed away the next day (Saturday).

Mosque trustee, Mr V Gani, said that Kassim was a respected member of the community.

"He held an esteemed position in his duty and appointment as a Muezzin. This is an extremely tragic incident. We never expected such a devestating incident of this magnitude at our mosque," he expressed.

South African Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Mdunge, said that three suspects have been arrested and charged with murder.

"With the help of the K9 unit, two men were found at a hide-out in the Newlands Westridge area. They were arrested. Further investigations led policemen to a house in Ntuzuma Township where they arrested the third suspect. Officers recovered a 9mm pistol and six rounds of live ammunition," Mdunge said.

The suspects, aged between 25 and 30 have appeared in court and the pistol will be sent in for ballistic testing to see if it was used in the Bayview shooting.