South Africa police hunt for killer of honeymoon bride

Shrien and Anni Dewani had been married just two weeks when the car they were travelling in was targeted by gunmen in a township on the outskirts of Cape Town on Saturday night.

Mr Dewani, 31, was later released unharmed, but the body of his wife, 28, was found yesterday.

Police said the couple, who lived in Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol, were kidnapped after gunmen forced their taxi driver out of the car.

Western Cape Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said: “The driver was forced out of the vehicle then the two armed suspects took off with the vehicle with the couple inside.”

Wife found dead

Mr Dewani, a millionaire businessman, was later dropped off at midnight in Harare, an area of the township of Khayelitsha. He was picked up by a passing motorist and was able to alert the police.

The car was found in a nearby area but Mrs Dewani was already dead.

Lieutenant Colonel Traut said: “At 7.50am the vehicle was discovered in Lingelethu West. The 28-year-old woman was found in the back seat.”

He refused to comment on the cause of death but said a post-mortem examination would take place in the coming days.

Family shock

The couple, who run a nursing homes business, had only arrived in the country on Friday. Mr Dewani’s brother said the family were “devastated”.

“We are still in shock,” he said, according to reports.

Alan Winde, Western Cape tourism minister, said the case was “absolutely shocking”.

“My information is that the couple were at an evening function outside the city in the Winelands area,” he said.

“They were returning back to the city at around 10pm last night when they asked their driver to take them to a popular hot spot in the Gugulethu area.”

The Gugulethu township is home to a number of thriving restaurants and nightspots with live music and DJs playing late into the night.

Appeal for information

Albert Fritz, the region’s Minister for Community Safety, appealed for local people to come forward with information.

He said: “This could have happened to any of our loved ones and it is important that communities become involved in doing the right thing.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are aware of the situation and are providing consular assistance to a British national who is involved, and their family.”

South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world with about 46 murders a day. Serious attacks on foreign visitors are rare with most violence occurring in the township areas.