Man arrested in connection with murder of Brit-Indian honeymooner’s wife in SA

CAPE TOWN - South African police have reportedly arrested a 26-year-old man from Cape Town’s Khayelitsha slum in connection with the slaying of Brit-Indian Shrien Dewani’s wife, during their honeymoon trip in that country.

According to police, the search for the second man is continuing and added that they have already identified the culprit.

The Daily Mail quoted Western Cape community safety minister Albert Fritz, as saying that: “We can confirm that South African Police Service officers have effected an arrest in the case of the murder of the British tourist who was murdered on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

“We can confirm that it was a male suspect and that he is now in police custody. He will have to appear in court within 48 hours. At this stage we cannot comment on what he might be charged with, that will all form part of the investigation,” he added.

Officials have also said that the suspect could be charged and face trial within days under fast track justice rules brought in ahead of this year’s football World Cup, the paper said.

Speaking about the latest developments, 30-year-old Dewani from Westbury-on-Trym near Bristol, said: ‘It’s good news. The police are very positive they have the right guy. They have told me that all the elements match: forensics, accent, background and alibi.”

On Tuesday, Dewani had said for the first time how he felt powerless after the taxi they were travelling in was ambushed by armed men in Cape Town, and pleaded with their kidnappers not to separate him from his wife, Anni, but they lied saying they “won’t hurt” her.

The couple had reportedly arrived in the country last week and spent four days on safari in the Kruger National Park. On Friday they moved to Cape Town and after spending Saturday lounging by their hotel pool, they decided to head out.

At Cape Town’s five-star Cape Grace Hotel where the couple had been staying, Dewani said: “We spent an a hour-and-a-half driving around the city. At around 9pm, we headed to Somerset West (a suburb 30 miles away),” when they were attacked.

He further stated that ‘the men kept on saying, “We are not going to hurt you. We just want the car.” That was a lie. Most of the conversation in the car was us pleading for us to be dumped together. I held on to Anni as I said to them, “Look, if you’re not going to hurt her why don’t you let us go?”

Soon the gunmen threw him out of the hijacked taxi’s window. On Sunday Anni’s body was found dumped in the back of the taxi in another township, miles from where they were picked up, he had claimed. (ANI)