A senior parliamentary figure claims he had kinky gay sex sessions with honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani, British newspaper the Daily Star reported at the weekend.
The respected political aide, who mixes in the highest circles at Westminster, told police he and Dewani allegedly enjoyed a series of sordid encounters at gay fetish club The Hoist in London, according to the newspaper.
The 53-year-old political adviser said they allegedly had sex in one of the rooms at the club, which holds spanking and punishment parties. This allegedly happened on several occasions between 2003 and 2008.
The man told detectives that Dewani was a “submissive” who enjoyed sadomasochism and dressing up in leather.
Dewani’s denial that he was secretly gay prompted the man to come forward with his claims. He gave a statement to Scotland Yard in December 2010, according to the report. He is the second man to come forward and claim he had a sexual relationship with Dewani.
The other man, Leopold Leisser, a male German escort who advertises his services as “The Master”, told police Dewani allegedly paid him to have sex on three separate occasions.
The newspaper said Leisser was being lined up as a key state witness should Dewani stand trial. Leisser claimed Dewani had told him he needed to “find a way out of getting married” and that he would be “disowned” by his family if he attempted to break off his engagement.
On Friday, Britain’s High Court temporarily halted Dewani’s extradition to South Africa on mental health grounds, saying it would be “unjust and oppressive”.
He would be extradited to South Africa as soon as he was fit. Dewani was being treated in a mental health hospital in his hometown of Bristol, western England.
He has denied arranging the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife Anni, who was shot in an apparent car hijacking while on their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
Their taxi driver, Zola Tongo, was jailed for 18 years for his part in the crime. During his plea bargain, Tongo testified that Dewani ordered the hijacking and paid for a hit on his wife. — Sapa