Brit-Indian honeymooner murder accused says hubby ordered killing
By ANIThursday, February 3, 2011
LONDON - One of the men accused of murdering Brit-Indian woman Anni Dewani in South Africa has claimed that the hijacking, which led to her death, was staged by her husband Shrien.
Anni and Shrien were two weeks into their Cape Town honeymoon when the taxi they were in was hijacked in Khayelitsha township by two men armed with guns on November 13 last year.
They ordered the driver of the taxi to get out and then took off with the car and the couple.
The 28-year-old Anni was shot dead by the robbers, but Shrien was released unharmed.
Mziwamadoda Qwabe was arrested four days after the murder in Cape Town, and within 24 hours had allegedly confessed his involvement to police.
The 25-year-old’s claim was revealed in a statement, which was released by the police at a bail hearing.
Police say that he said the couple’s taxi driver Zola Tongo had told him and co-accused Xolile Mngeni: “The husband wanted the wife killed and (we) had to make it look like a carjacking and robbery.”
After his arrest, Qwabe took police to the spot in Gugulethu where the couple was ambushed.
He showed them where to find the casing from the bullet used in the murder and told them to whom he had given the gun.
Ballistic tests later confirmed that both the gun and bullet were used to kill Anni.
He is alleged to have told police that he had met Tongo and Mngeni in Khayelitsha earlier on the day of the murder.
Qwabe also said that, after a series of text messages from Tongo, he and Mngeni waited in Gugulethu at around 11pm on November 13 then attacked the taxi as pre-arranged, forcing out the driver and then Shrien, the Telegraph reports.
Qwabe and Mnguni are charged with murder, kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
They are due to appear before Wynberg Regional Court on February 25.
A full trial at Western Cape High Court is due to begin at a later date.
Shrien denies any involvement in his wife’s murder, and is fighting extradition from England to South Africa. (ANI)
