SOUTH AFRICA/FILE: South African prosecutor's office welcomes UK home secretary's decision to extradite to South Africa a British businessman Shrien Dewani, accused of arranging the murder of his wife while on their honeymoon in Cape Town

Record ID: 453265

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA/FILE: South African prosecutor's office welcomes UK home secretary's decision to extradite to South Africa a British businessman Shrien Dewani, accused of arranging the murder of his wife while on their honeymoon in Cape Town
  • Date: 29th September 2011
  • Summary: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (SEPTEMBER 28, 2011) (REUTERS) NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY SPOKESPERSON, MTUZI MHAGA SITTING AT HIS DESK MTUNZI MHAGA TYPING ON LAPTOP KEYBOARD (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY SPOKESPERSON, MTUZI MHAGA, SAYING "On Monday the 26 of September, the home secretary of the United Kingdom signed the extradition order for Mr Dewani to be extradited. He then has fourteen days within which to give notice of appeal. If he doesn't do so within fourteen days, it means Interpol and the South African Police Services have liaise with each other and facilitate his coming to South Africa." MTUNZI SITTING AT HIS DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATIONAL PROSECUTING AUTHORITY SPOKESPERSON, MTUZI MHAGA, SAYING "There has been no official notification from his legal representatives of that intention but we will just adopt a wait and see approach and see as and when he does so. We are confident that we will successfully argue for his extradition and I'm confident that the high court, if it takes the matter there, he will lose and we will win." GUGULETU, NEAR CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE - DECEMBER 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SCENE OF CRIME WHERE SHRIEN AND ANNI DEWANI WERE HIJACKED CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE - NOVEMBER 29, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF WYNBERG MAGISTRATES COURT VARIOUS OF PHOTOGRAPHERS WAITING OUTSIDE COURT POLICE CAR WITH SUSPECTS INSIDE DRIVES INTO COURT YARD INTERIOR OF THE COURT ROOM WITH JUDGE SEATED VARIOUS OF THE SUSPECT-ZOLA NTONGO, TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE MEDIA VARIOUS OF FATHER OF THE DECEASED SEATED PICTURE OF ANNI DEWANI ON THE TABLE NEXT TO FATHER JUDGE SUSPECT STANDING IN THE DOCK SUSPECT BEING LED DOWN TO THE CELLS
  • Embargoed: 14th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVA25VRMDXRI8E2PB33BVWHRG9X
  • Story Text: UK home office announced on Wednesday (September 27) that home secretary Theresa May has approved the extradition of Shrien Dewani to South Africa where he is accused of arranging the murder of his wife while on honeymoon there.
    South African prosecutor's office welcomed the decision.
    "On Monday the 26 of September, the home secretary of the United Kingdom signed the extradition order for Mr Dewani to be extradited. He then has fourteen days within which to give notice of appeal. If he doesn't do so within fourteen days, it means Interpol and the South African Police Services have liaise with each other and facilitate his coming to South Africa," said Mthunzi Mhaga, spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority.
    Millionaire Shrien Dewani, 31, is accused of conspiring to kill his wife, Anni, 28, in a fake car-jacking last year, a charge he denies.
    "There has been no official notification from his legal representatives of that intention but we will just adopt a wait and see approach and see as and when he does so. We are confident that we will successfully argue for his extradition and I'm confident that the high court, if it takes the matter there, he will lose and we will win," Mthunzi Mhaga added.
    Anni Dewani, from Sweden, was shot when the taxi the couple were travelling in was hijacked in the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town last November.
    She was found dead in the back of an abandoned cab with a bullet wound to her neck after cabbie Zola Tongo drove the newlyweds to the township.
    Dewani claims the vehicle was carjacked and that he and Tongo were forced out of the car unharmed before Mrs Dewani was driven away and killed.
    However, Tongo turned state witness and, in return for a reduced sentence, alleged that Dewani paid for his wife to be killed.
    Dewani has fought extradition proceedings, arguing that he is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and is too unwell to be sent abroad for trial.
    However, in August a judge approved the extradition, a decision upheld by the Home Secretary.
    In South Africa Dewani faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and obstructing the administration of justice.
    He has 14 days to lodge an appeal against the decision.
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