THE TWO South Africans accused of murdering newlywed Anni Dewani in Cape Town last month have corroborated taxi driver Zola Tongo’s allegation that her husband was behind a plot to have her killed, according to a TV news report.
Earlier this week Mr Tongo entered into a plea bargain with the South African authorities in which he claimed that after he brought the couple to their hotel, Shrien Dewani asked him to locate two hit men who would stage a fake carjacking and then kill his wife.
“The agreement was that after the hijacking of the vehicle, both Shrien Dewani and I would be ejected from the vehicle unharmed, after which the deceased would be kidnapped and robbed, before she was murdered,” he told the Cape Town high court.
Mr Dewani, who was arrested in the UK following the allegation, has denied any involvement in his wife’s murder on November 12th. He was granted bail yesterday by a British court under strict conditions, following an appeal by the South African national prosecuting authority to have him remanded in custody.
Mr Dewani’s lawyer, Clare Montgomery, argued that the accusations were improbable, and that her client’s family has dismissed them as “totally ludicrous”. The prosecuting authority has indicated that it is in the process of preparing papers to have Mr Dewani extradited to South Africa so he can be questioned about the incident and subsequent developments.
Shortly after the bail hearing E.TV in South Africa reported that the accused, Xolile Mnguni (23) and Mziwamadoda Qwabe (25), had told police Mr Dewani had hired them to kill his wife, thus corroborating Mr Tongo’s version of events.
During the bail hearing, Judge Duncan Ouseley was told investigating officers in South Africa had acquired CCTV footage of Mr Dewani handing a small plastic bag to Mr Tongo two days after the murder took place.
The footage was said to have been recorded at the Cape Grace hotel in Cape Town, where the newlyweds were staying during their honeymoon. Mr Tongo testified on Tuesday that he was paid R1,000 (€110) by Mr Dewani for his role in the alleged plot.
Police have also gathered mobile phone evidence against Mr Dewani, Mr Mnguni and Mr Qwabe that includes a comprehensive trace on calls and texts between the men on the night of the murder, according to the Mail &Guardiannewspaper.
South Africa’s minister for justice Jeff Radebe said yesterday that suggestions Mr Dewani would not get a fair trial in South Africa were without the “slightest foundation”.