South Africa court hears Briton plotted wife’s murder

A British businessman conspired to have his Swedish bride murdered on their honeymoon in South Africa, it was alleged in court yesterday, in a sensational twist to an apparent robbery and shooting.

Anni Dewani, 28, was shot dead after the taxi in which she was travelling with her husband Shrien Dewani, was hijacked on the outskirts of Cape Town on November 13, just weeks after their marriage.

Her body was later found in an impoverished township neighbourhood.

Mr Dewani, who returned to Britain days after the incident in which he was unharmed, has denied any involvement, but the court heard allegations he had connived with a taxi driver to have his wife killed.

Three men were originally charged with the murder but as part of a plea bargain the High Court in Cape Town heard one of the accused allege that the victim’s husband ordered the killing.

“The deceased was murdered at the instance of her husband,” Western Cape director of public prosecutions Rodney de Kock told judge John Hlophe in court, national news agency SAPA reported.

A judicial spokesman refused to say if Mr Dewani, who accompanied his wife’s body back to Britain, would be charged.

The claim that Mr Dewani plotted the murder was made by Zola Tongo, the driver of the taxi in which the couple had been travelling in Cape Town.

Mr Tongo was sentenced to 18 years in jail yesterday after pleading guilty to murder and aggravated robbery, as the victim’s father looked on and wept.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila said that Mr Tongo had given evidence that he was approached by the British businessman and promised 15,000 rand (€1,634) “to remove someone off the scene”.

“After some discussion with him I understood that he wanted someone, a woman, killed,” said Mr Tongo in a sworn statement.

He enlisted two accomplices to conduct the murder, according to Mr Ntabazalila who would not discuss with reporters if the murdered bride’s husband would face charges.

“That is part of a different investigation. I cannot comment on that, police would have to to act on that,” Mr Ntabazalila said.

Mr Tongo’s plea bargain documents reveal that the hijacking was in fact part of a plan devised together with Dewani to conceal the murder.

“Threatening me and Shrien Dewani with a firearm was a mere pretence of force...” he said.

“The hijackers had thereafter driven off with the deceased and Shrien Dewani, with Dewani’s consent, in accordance with the pretence of force, and not in furtherance of kidnapping and robbing him.”