Dewani to be made fourth accused in honeymoon murder

Shrien Dewani is to be added as the fourth accused in the honeymoon murder of his bride Anni, the Western Cape High Court heard on Friday.

Senior state advocate Shareen Riley said Dewani was scheduled to join two of the other accused in the dock when the trial eventually got underway.

These two, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni, appeared briefly in the high court on Friday at a pre-trial conference before Judge Andre le Grange.

In earlier proceedings, the remaining accused, Zola Tonga, was jailed for 18 years for his part in the murder, in terms of a plea bargain.

On Friday, Riley asked the court to schedule a second pre-trial conference for April 13 as judgment was being awaited on Dewani’s appeal in the United Kingdom against an order granted for his extradition to South Africa.

She said there was as yet no indication when the appeal judgment would be handed down.

Dewani, while on honeymoon with his wife in December 2010, allegedly hired three men to kill her in a staged hijacking in Cape Town’s Gugulethu township.

Dewani is currently receiving treatment for depression and stress and has denied all wrongdoing.—AFP