Murdered Indian-origin bride’s father comes face-to-face with ‘hitman’

CAPE TOWN - The father of Indian-origin bide Anni Dewani has come face-to-face with the ‘hitman’ alleged to have killed his daughter on the orders of her Brit-Indian husband during their honeymoon in Cape Town last year.

Vinod Hindocha sat less than a metre from Xolile Mngeni, the South African national accused of shooting his daughter on the promise of a share of 1,300 pounds, the Daily Mail reports.

During a court hearing, 62-year-old Hindocha refused to look into the eyes of his daughter’s alleged murderer. He even wiped off his tears as prosecutors argued that the murder was carried out on orders of Dewani, the paper said.

Senior prosecution lawyer Rodney de Kock had urged the Wynberg regional court to give more time to detectives because they are awaiting ‘evidence to be provided from the UK’, as well as the results of DNA tests.

Mziwamadoda Qwabe, alleged to be the second gunman in the fatal shooting, had applied for bail in the court.

The paper quoted Hindocha as saying that: “I have come all the way from Sweden to see my daughter’s murderers. I want to thank the South African people and authorities for their support. We are very happy with their work.”

Dewani has been consistently denying his involvement in the murder saying, he is being victimised by the authorities.

Last week, he was admitted in hospital after swallowing sleeping pills in a failed suicide attempt. He is currently fighting his extradition case to South Africa.

The paper quoted Dewani’s spokesman as saying that: “All that Shrien and his family want is for the truth to come out.”

The couple’s taxi driver has admitted his involvement in the killing. Two others are awaiting trial. (ANI)