SOUTH AFRICA: South Africans welcome British court's decision to allow the extradition of Shrien Dewani to face trial for the murder of his wife

Record ID: 453306

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: South Africans welcome British court's decision to allow the extradition of Shrien Dewani to face trial for the murder of his wife
  • Date: 11th August 2011
  • Summary: GUGULETHU, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE - NOVEMBER 14, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STREET SCENES IN GUGULETHU TOWNSHIP
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa, South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Reuters ID: LVABJOSRRUNGQ53QBZQPAEIR6GV7
  • Story Text: People in South Africa welcomed a British courts decision on Wednesday (August 10) to allow Shrien Dewani to be extradited to face trial for the murder of his wife.
    The court ruled that Mr Dewani should face trial in South Africa for the murder of his wife Anni whilst they were on their honeymoon in the country last year.
    The judge did rule however that the 31-year-old businessman's extradition would need to be approved by Home Secretary Theresa May.
    Mr Dewani denies conspiring to kill his wife in a fake car-jacking last November.
    Anni Dewani, 28 and from Sweden, was shot when the taxi the couple were travelling in was hijacked in the Gugulethu township on the outskirts of Cape Town.
    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.
    Many South African's, such as Minesh Chinia, believe Shrien Dewani is guilty and are happy he will be extradited here to face murder charges.
    "He is guilty because he killed his wife," he said on Wednesday.
    Some were sure he was guilty even in the days after the murder itself, such as Johannesburg resident Faith Tshimbiluni.
    "Yeah, i think he is guilty, there are too many things that link up to him, he is guilty and he should just go to jail," she said.
    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.
    Others such as Lindy Kunene say he deserves the death sentence.
    "If we still had the death sentence, he would be harshly punished because of what he has done." she said.
    District Judge Howard Riddle gave the go-ahead for the extradition at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court but said the ruling had to be agreed by the Home Secretary.
    "As the issues arising above have been decided adversely to the defendant, I must send this case to the Secretary of State for a decision whether the defendant
    is to be extradited," his judgement said.
    Dewani's lawyers can also appeal against the decision to higher courts, meaning a final decision may be some months away.
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