Man pleads guilty to Anni Dewani’s honeymoon murder
A South African man is sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of Swedish woman Anni Dewani during her 2010 honeymoon in Cape Town.
Mziwamadoda Qwabe was charged with murder along with Mrs Dewani’s British husband Shrien Dewani and another South African, Xolile Mngeni.
Mr Dewani denies plotting to kill his wife and a British court has halted his extradition, citing his mental health. He is being treated for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Defence lawyer Daniel Theunissen told the high court in Cape Town that Qwabe had agreed to plead guilty to kidnapping, robbery, murder, and illegal possession of a firearm.
Qwabe earlier pleaded guilty to all charges. Mr Theunissen said his client had signed a plea agreement.
Trial separated
Following the verdict, Kwabe used a jacket to hide his face while being led off to the cells, as photographers flocked around the dock to get a snapshot of him.
Qwabe’s co-accused Xolile Mngeni, who was expected to appear later on Wednesday for a pre-trial conference. Mngeni has a malignant brain tumour that has so far stopped him going on trial and his case will be heard later.
Shrien Dewani, 32, has repeatedly denied arranging the contract killing of his 28-year-old wife, who was shot in an apparent car hijacking while they were on their honeymoon in Cape Town in November 2010.
The couple were on honeymoon in South Africa last November when the car they were being driven in was hijacked in the township of Gugletutu.
Mr Dewani and the driver Zolo Tongo escaped but Anni Dewani was kidnapped and later found shot dead.
Mr Tongo admitted his part in the crime, in return for a reduced sentence, and claimed that Mr Dewani had ordered the car-jacking and paid for his wife to be killed.
‘A year to recover’
At the end of July, his lawyer Claire Montgomery told the Westminster Magistrate’s Court that keeping her client under medical treatment in Britain for 12 months would speed up his recovery, rather than jeopardise it by sending him to South Africa.
The hearing was adjourned to 18 September for a psychiatrist to examine Dewani and give the court more information on his condition.
Only then would a decision be made on whether he was fit to stand trial in Cape Town.