HONEYMOON murder accused Shrien Dewani will enjoy five-star treatment as an awaiting trial prisoner and find himself in a uniquely protected situation if found guilty of killing his wife, Anni

This assurance - something not seen in South Africa since Schabir Shaik was in jail - was given yesterday in the extradition hearing of the British care home owner in the Belmarsh magistrate's court.

Testifying for the South African government, Judge Deon Hurter van Zyl, Inspecting Judge of the Judicial Inspectorate of Correctional Services, reacted to testimony led yesterday that gangsterism and rape has become part of prison culture in South Africa and could lead to Dewani becoming a victim of sexual assault.

The South African government is seeking the extradition of Dewani, 31, to stand trial in Cape Town for murder after being implicated in a plot to kill his Swedish wife Anni, 28, in November last year.

Van Zyl testified that Dewani received assurances that he would be held at the Goodwood Correctional Facility in a single cell in the hospital section while awaiting trial - a new generation prison "in a class of its own".

If found guilty and considered a medium risk prisoner with a prison sentence of less than 25 years, Dewani would be transferred to the Malmesbury Medium A prison which Van Zyl described as "like a five-star hotel" where he would stay in a single cell with hot showers and access to a television.

The judge scotched as "absurd" allegations that there was a very high probability of getting sodomised in South African prisons.

He said as far as he knew this was the first time a prospective prisoner received these "unique" assurances from the Commissioner of Correctional Services and without a doubt only the second time his inspectorate inspected prisons for the suitability of a special prisoner.

The first, he said, was for Shaik, convicted fraudster and financial adviser to President Jacob Zuma.

Under cross-examination from Dewani's barrister, Clare Montgomery, Van Zyl said there was no substance to a claim by the group Friends Against Abuse that it was 99,9percent guaranteed that a detainee would be abused or violated in prison.

Outside court yesterday, Anni's distressed father, Vinod Hindocha, said he felt uncomfortable about commenting on any preferential treatment Dewani would receive were he to be found guilty in South Africa.