The British newlywed accused of paying to have his bride killed on their honeymoon will be held in jail after an appeal was lodged against the granting of £250 000 bail, the United Kingdom Press Association reported on Wednesday.
Shrien Dewani, who was arrested on Tuesday on a South African extradition warrant, was initially granted bail when he appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
But the South African authorities lodged an immediate appeal, which means the businessman from Bristol will be held in custody pending a High Court hearing.
Dewani, whose wife was shot dead last month when they visited Cape Town’s Gugulethu township, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of conspiring to murder her.
The 30-year-old businessman was accused of ordering her death by taxi driver Zola Tongo as he was sentenced for his part in the killing in the High Court in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Ben Watson, representing South African authorities, opposed bail and told District Judge Howard Riddle that he may appeal after Dewani’s bail was initially granted.
The court was told that he had until 5.50pm to lodge the appropriate documents and if he did so, Dewani would be held in custody.
Further hearing
One member of Dewani’s legal team, Julian Knowles, said he would then appear at the high court for a further hearing which would probably not be until Thursday.
Dewani’s spokesperson said earlier on Wednesday that he was “devastated” by the “false allegations” against him.
“Shrien Dewani had no involvement in the death of his wife, Anni,” read a statement released by public relations practitioner Max Clifford.
“He is devastated by her murder and the false allegations that have been made against him and welcomes the chance to clear his name through the courts.”
The South African Police Service issued a warrant of arrest for Dewani, and forwarded the document to British authorities.
“I can confirm that a warrant for the arrest of the husband of the slain tourist, Anni Dewani, was obtained by the South African Police Service after testimony implicating Shrien Dewani in her murder was given in court,” Brigadier Sally de Beer said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The warrant of arrest was forwarded to our counterparts in the UK, who acknowledged receipt and advised that they would act on it. The normal processes will now be followed, in conjunction with relevant role players, in order to ensure that justice takes its course in this matter,” said De Beer.
“Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Extradition Unit have yesterday, Tuesday 7 December, arrested Shrien Prakash Dewani, 30, (29.12.79) on behalf of the South African authorities,” Scotland Yard said in a statement released to the UK-based Press Association.
Surrendered
“He surrendered himself at a Bristol police station and was arrested … under a Provisional Arrest Warrant issued earlier on the same evening, at the request of the South African authorities, on suspicion of conspiring to murder Anni Dewani.”
He faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Anni (28) from Sweden, was honeymooning in Cape Town when she and her husband were hijacked while in a minibus taxi on Saturday, November 13. Shrien claimed the hijackers forced him out of the vehicle. Anni’s body was found in the abandoned vehicle the next day. She had been shot.
In a statement handed in as part of a plea agreement, Tongo revealed how he and Shrien had participated in a fake hijacking.
“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 said.
The couple, who had been married for two weeks, were travelling through Cape Town’s Gugulethu township at the time of the hijacking. Tongo was convicted of murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and perverting the course of justice.
Two other people, Xolile Mnguni (23) and Mziwamadoda Qwabe (25) face charges of murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. They were expected to appear in court in February next year.
Dewani returned to England after the murder and denied any involvement in it. — Sapa