Proceedings to continue against “stressed” Brit-Indian honeymooner over wife’s murder case

CAPE TOWN - Shrien Dewani, the Brit-Indian millionaire who has been accused of hiring a hitman to have his wife killed during their honeymoon in Cape Town last year, would reportedly face legal proceedings despite his solicitor’s claims that he is suffering from ‘acute stress’.

After Dewani failed to attend a London court hearing yesterday, his attorney, Julian Knowles, had claimed that the condition of his client was not good enough to be questioned about the incident.

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle had said he would review whether Dewani should attend the extradition case hearing against him on February 8.

Cape Town officials, however, believe that his illness will cannot stop proceedings against the Indian-origin businessman, the Daily Express reports.

The paper quoted police spokesman McIntosh Polela as saying that Dewani’s “faltering mental health” would be unlikely to increase his chances of being granted bail if he is extradited to South Africa over allegations that he had masterminded his wife’s murder during their honeymoon.

“We believe Dewani has had sufficient time to recuperate and we are keen to get on with the case,” he added.

The 31-year-old Indian born businessman, who is out on 250,000 pounds bail in Britain, is facing charges of conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances and obstruction of the administration of justice.

Although Dewani has been denying involvement in the murder case, the South African authorities believe that he conspired with others to make his murder ‘appear as if they had both been the victims of a random highjacking’.

Shrien’s wife Anni, from Sweden, was shot when the taxi in which the couple were travelling, was allegedly hijacked in Gugulethu, on the outskirts of Cape Town, in November last year. (ANI)