Shrien Dewani acquitted of murder charges of honeymoon bride Anni in South Africa

Shrien Dewani

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Shrien DewaniBritish businessman Shrien Dewani has been acquitted of the murder charges of his honeymoon bride Anni on Monday by a South Africa judge in Cape Town due to lack of evidence.

The British-Indian millionaire had been accused of plotting the murder of his 28-year-old Indo-Swedish wife during their honeymoon in South Africa in 2010. However, he had consistently denied the murder charges against him.

Dewani, 34, from Westbury-on-Trym near Bristol, was cleared of the allegation as Judge Jeanette Traverso dismissed the high-profile case against him.

Judge Traverso has said the prosecution’s case against Dewani was weak and that she can see no reasonable prospect that she might find him guilty once she has also heard his defence.

South African Prosecutors told the court that bisexual Mr Dewani, had long planned to get out of the relationship to Anni, and made an arrangement to kill his wife while escaping the situation unharmed. They had argued that Dewani plotted with taxi driver Zola Tongo and two others, named Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni, paying them 15,000 rand ($1,300) to kidnap and murder Anni in November 2010.

Three men have already been convicted of their role in the killing.

Mngeni was sentenced to life in prison for the murder but died in jail. Qwabe was sentenced to 25 years. Tongo was sentenced to 18 years following a plea bargain deal.

The judge has ruled that evidence presented by the prosecution fell “far below the threshold” of what a reasonable court could convict on.

She has indicated that the evidence of the witness of chief prosecution, taxi driver Zola Tongo’s claims regarding killing of Anni were “riddled with contradictions” and “highly debatable”.

At the beginning of trial, Dewani admitted of being bisexual and visiting male bondage prostitutes, while insisting that he loved his new wife Anni and was not involved in her murder.

Traverso, the second most senior in the province, has also rejected evidence about Dewani’s sexuality as “irrelevant” and repeatedly criticised the prosecutors leading it.

Shrien lost a four-year legal battle in the U.K. to avoid extradition to South Africa, and was sent in April to stand trial.

Dewani is now free to return to Britain with immediate effect.

However, the court decision caused a huge disappointment for the family of Mrs Dewani, whose maiden name was Hindocha. They told that the justice system have “failed us”.

The Hindocha family have stated outside the court: “We feel really, really sad because we have not heard the full story. Shrien lived a double life.”

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