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A honeymoon that ended in death for the young bride

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Honeymoon murder-accused Shrien Dewani needs a year to recover from depression before facing extradition proceedings, a British court heard on Tuesday.

His lawyer Clare Montgomery told the Westminster Magistrate’s Court that the process had been hanging over her client like “the sword of Damocles” and he needed “a period of calm”, reported the British Press Association.

Dewani, 32, stands accused of plotting his wife Anni’s murder in Cape Town in November 2010.

He is being treated for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle adjourned the hearing to September 18 for a psychiatrist, employed by the South African government, to examine Dewani and give the court more information about his condition before making any other decision.

Montgomery said keeping Dewani under medical treatment in Britain for 12 months would speed up his recovery rather than jeopardise it by sending him to South Africa.

According to his psychiatrist, he was making a slow recovery, but one damaging factor was his “constant awareness of the court proceedings”, said Montgomery.

She said the mental health tribunal reviewing the report of Dewani’s section order — which keeps him in hospital treatment until May 2013 — confirmed his mental condition.

She said Dewani was taking anti-depressants on the advice of his psychiatrist, who believed his depression and PTSD were of moderate severity and had discernibly decreased.

However, there was still the real risk that he may commit suicide, the court heard, and he was unable “to give an account of himself”, possibly because he could not remember the crucial events of November 2010.

“This is associated with the post-traumatic stress disorder,” Montgomery said.

Dewani’s 28-year-old wife, who was from Sweden, was shot when a taxi the couple was travelling in was hijacked in Gugulethu, on the outskirts of Cape Town.

She was found dead in the back of the abandoned vehicle with a bullet wound to her neck, after taxi driver Zola Tongo drove the newlyweds to the impoverished area.

He and Dewani were ejected by the hijackers before she was driven away and killed.

Tongo, who has admitted to his part in the crime, claimed in a plea agreement with prosecutors that Dewani ordered the hijacking and paid for a “hit” on his wife.

The prosecution asked for a replacement psychiatrist — who could refuse — to be instructed to examine Dewani, but magistrate Riddle requested that the original psychiatrist be asked to reconsider and, if he would not, to be asked why he had changed his mind.

In March, the High Court temporarily halted Dewani’s extradition because of his poor mental health.

Sir John Thomas, the president of the Queen’s Bench Division, and Justice Ouseley, ruled it was “unjust and oppressive” to send him to South Africa straight away.

They rejected claims that he should not be extradited on human rights grounds and said it was in the interests of justice that he be extradited “as soon as he is fit”.

Ashok Hindocha, the victim’s uncle, said after the hearing that his family desperately needed answers and believed they would get “closure”, “the sooner the better”.

“I don’t know how much longer the family members can take this pressure psychologically,” Hindocha was quoted as saying by the British Press Association.

Hindocha said the family wanted a second psychiatrist to examine Dewani.

“We hope on September 18 we will have some answers.”

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 22:11:01 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 1, 2012

MommaC

This is just cruelty.
How much longer must her poor family suffer before they can get some kind of closure on this?
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Aug 1, 2012

cocolucho

Its funny, everywhere in the world it seems as though the law cares more for criminals than the victims and their families.
The family might have to shoot the queen to get some answers.
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Aug 1, 2012

Mellow

He needs a period to calm down?! WTF is this bollywood rehearsals? He k.illed his wife and he expects to be treated like a prince going through all sorts of emotions oohh tip-toe around prince dewani he have a migrane today oohh nooo he's pmsíng aagghh neee man yerrr next on line should be jub-jub and shabalala enough now there's nothing unjust bout sending his majesty @rsehole to SA by the way papa wag vir hom
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Aug 1, 2012

Pointman

We will get him eventually. That is the only consolation the family can have.
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Aug 1, 2012

imd

eh banna he still chilling out there somewhere??????
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Aug 1, 2012

Kasiologist

Sad case of the law favouring the criminals. I do not think that anyones human rights should be protected when they are involved in a crime that violated another human right. Drag this idiot kicking and screaming to come and stand trial.
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Aug 1, 2012

Mellow

@Kasiologist I agree he should be glad SA is not China, we've lost our ppl in other countries for their bad deeds so he must also come face the music here he's bound to make someone a happy chappie in jail hhmmm
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Aug 1, 2012

Thandekile

What nonsense is this! Since when does a criminal's need for a 'period of calm" superceed the victim's family's need for justice? Anni will not die in vain my boy, you will pay for your sins.
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Aug 1, 2012

NOCTORIUS

No people this is not fair this basted desrve to rot in jail
what is so special about him, he can de-deppressed in a cell..mxm
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Aug 1, 2012

svavava

blah blah blah, Dewani is gonna get away with this murder, watch this space
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