Honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani will not be appearing in a London court on Tuesday, South Africa’s justice department said on Monday.
“His legal representatives have indicated that they have a medical certificate that indicates that he [Dewani] is not fit to appear in court,” justice spokesperson Tlali Tlali said.
Dewani was due to face an extradition case on Tuesday after his case was postponed in a United Kingdom court on January 20.
During the last hearing in the City of Westminster Magistrate’s Court, chief magistrate Howard Riddle was told that Dewani was suffering from an acute stress disorder.
Tlali said that it was up to the court to decide whether it was acceptable that Dewani did not attend the next round of extradition proceedings against him because he was unwell.
“It is likely that the case will be postponed. The court will have to deal with other issues,” said Tlali. “You always have to exercise patience and respect the due processes of the law.”
He said the English court would determine on its own how many times the case can be postponed.
“There is nothing available to us to suggest that the delay is not justified,” said Tlali.
Charges
Dewani faces charges of conspiracy to murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances and obstruction of the administration of justice, the UK-based Press Association reported.
South African authorities are seeking to have Dewani, from Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, come back to the country to stand trial.
Anni Dewani, from Sweden, was shot when the newlywed couple’s taxi was allegedly hijacked in Gugulethu on the outskirts of Cape Town on November 13.
She was found dead in the back of the abandoned vehicle with a bullet wound to her neck.
Driver Zola Tongo was sentenced to 18 years in prison in South Africa after he submitted a plea agreement that implicated Dewani in an alleged R15 000 hit on Anni. — Sapa