LONDON - British businessman Shrien Dewani arranged his wife's honeymoon murder after confessing he needed to "find a way out of" his marriage, a London court heard yesterday.
It was reported that an unnamed witness was prepared to give evidence to this effect if Dewani stood trial.
This witness claimed Dewani revealed to him his true feelings about his marriage more than six months earlier, the Belmarsh magistrates' court in southeast London heard.
South African authorities are seeking to extradite Dewani over the killing of his Swedish bride, Anni, who was shot dead in the back of a taxi in Cape Town in November last year.
Hugo Keith QC, representing the South African authorities, told the court yesterday: "Dewani told (the witness) in April 2010 how he was engaged and had to get married.
"He said though she was a nice, lovely girl whom he liked, he could not break out of the engagement because he would be disowned by his family. He went on to say to the witness he needed to find a way out of it."
Dewani, 31, is accused of arranging for Anni, 28, to be killed in a staged hijacking in the Gugulethu township.
He is also wanted for offences of kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder and obstructing the administration of justice.
As Keith opened his case, Dewani sat slumped in the dock, mumbling to himself with his eyes half-closed.
The court heard Dewani became a suspect in the killing after cabbie Zola Tongo pointed the finger at him.
Tongo, who had been appointed the couple's tour guide when they arrived in Cape Town on November 12, admitted his own involvement in the hijacking and claimed Dewani offered him cash to arrange it, Keith said.
He said the newlyweds touched down in the city after spending the first three days of their honeymoon in the Kruger National Park.
Tongo drove the couple to the Cape Grace hotel where they were staying. He claims Dewani then asked him if he knew anyone who could "have a client of his taken off the scene".
"After some discussion, Tongo understood that Dewani wanted to have a woman killed," Keith said.
"Dewani indicated he would be prepared to pay R15000."
The Bristol businessman offered to pay for the contract killing in US dollars and the next day he took Tongo to a place where he could change the currency into South African rand, the taxi driver alleged.
Police were satisfied the evidence the cabbie gave in his plea agreement was "consistent with the evidence at their disposal", Keith said.
Dewani 'wanted way out of marriage'
LONDON - British businessman Shrien Dewani arranged his wife's honeymoon murder after confessing he needed to "find a way out of" his marriage, a London court heard yesterday.
It was reported that an unnamed witness was prepared to give evidence to this effect if Dewani stood trial.
This witness claimed Dewani revealed to him his true feelings about his marriage more than six months earlier, the Belmarsh magistrates' court in southeast London heard.
South African authorities are seeking to extradite Dewani over the killing of his Swedish bride, Anni, who was shot dead in the back of a taxi in Cape Town in November last year.
Hugo Keith QC, representing the South African authorities, told the court yesterday: "Dewani told (the witness) in April 2010 how he was engaged and had to get married.
"He said though she was a nice, lovely girl whom he liked, he could not break out of the engagement because he would be disowned by his family. He went on to say to the witness he needed to find a way out of it."
Dewani, 31, is accused of arranging for Anni, 28, to be killed in a staged hijacking in the Gugulethu township.
He is also wanted for offences of kidnapping, robbery with aggravated circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder and obstructing the administration of justice.
As Keith opened his case, Dewani sat slumped in the dock, mumbling to himself with his eyes half-closed.
The court heard Dewani became a suspect in the killing after cabbie Zola Tongo pointed the finger at him.
Tongo, who had been appointed the couple's tour guide when they arrived in Cape Town on November 12, admitted his own involvement in the hijacking and claimed Dewani offered him cash to arrange it, Keith said.
He said the newlyweds touched down in the city after spending the first three days of their honeymoon in the Kruger National Park.
Tongo drove the couple to the Cape Grace hotel where they were staying. He claims Dewani then asked him if he knew anyone who could "have a client of his taken off the scene".
"After some discussion, Tongo understood that Dewani wanted to have a woman killed," Keith said.
"Dewani indicated he would be prepared to pay R15000."
The Bristol businessman offered to pay for the contract killing in US dollars and the next day he took Tongo to a place where he could change the currency into South African rand, the taxi driver alleged.
Police were satisfied the evidence the cabbie gave in his plea agreement was "consistent with the evidence at their disposal", Keith said.
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