Western Cape police on Sunday were keeping mum on speculation surrounding the murder of tourist Anni Dewani.
“We are not commenting on the Dewani case, full stop. The matter is before the court and developments will emerge there,” Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said.
Media reports have indicated through “close and reliable sources in the investigation”, that Shrien Dewani, Anni’s husband, was back in the country and was now a suspect in the murder of his Swedish wife in Gugulethu near Cape Town.
Other reports quoted “sources” as saying that he was helping to identify the men suspected of shooting and killing his wife.
The Weekend Argus said police were looking for a 31-year-old man, a fourth suspect, who worked for a Cape Town hotel
Three suspects are already in custody — the driver of the hijacked vehicle, Zola Tongo (31) Xolile Mngeni (23) and Mziwamadoda Qwabe (25).
They all face charges of murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping and are scheduled to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
According to the paper, a man and woman were seen hurrying into the back entrance of the Manenberg police station on Saturday to observe an identity parade.
The report said: “A large media contingent surrounded the police station, eager to see if Shrien Dewani (30) would appear. Journalists were told both witnesses were local, and that Dewani was not present.
“On Friday, two sources close to the case said he was in the country and would attend the [identity] parade.
Dewani’s Johannesburg-based lawyer Billy Gundelfinger denied this, saying his client was “grieving”, the article said.
On Sunday, the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail quoted Dewani’s father Vinod Hindocha as saying his daughter had burst into tears and had refused to sit next to her husband on their flight to Cape Town.
He said: “We have heard that the air hostess noticed they were sitting separately and Anni was crying.
“The air hostess apparently asked Anni if she would like to sit with Shrien, but Anni said no.”
The report said “it was not clear where this information originated from, or indeed how it was passed to Anni’s family”.
“Pressed to elaborate, Mr Hindocha said: ‘We are not sure, it is something you will have to check out’.”
‘I love him like a son’
On Friday, the M&G reported that efforts were being made persuade Dewani to return to South Africa voluntarily, and if he did, he would be charged and arrested.
Dewani flew out of Cape Town four days after his wife’s body was found in Khayelitsha.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Western Cape Eric Ntabazilila said on Friday that the NPA could not confirm the reports either.
“Police are doing the investigation so they are the people you need to speak to.
“The NPA does not have that information,” he said.
Dewani (30) told a British newspaper earlier in the week that he rejected speculation that he was involved in the incident.
He told the Sun: “People who suggest this could not have seen us together.”
Hindocha issued a statement on Monday, saying: “Further to recent reports in several newspapers I would like to state that my relationship with Shrien is a good one and I love him like a son.
“Whoever did this to my daughter are criminals who need to be caught and put behind bars.
“I have always supported Shrien and I will continue to do so throughout this horrendous ordeal.”
Anni (28) and Shrien Dewani had been married for two weeks when they were attacked by two armed men who hijacked their shuttle-service vehicle near Gugulethu.
The couple was apparently returning from a dinner in Somerset West at the time of the attack. – Sapa