Sunday Times 2
Dewani did plot his wife’s murder
A hitman has made fresh claims that honeymooner Anni Dewani’s murder was ordered by her husband.
Mziwamadoda Qwabe said the killing in his native South Africa was designed to appear like ‘a random criminal act’.
 Dewani at court last year |
 Guilty: Mziwamadoda Qwabe has admitted to the murder of Anni Dewani |
He claimed he was told that businessman Shrien Dewani ‘wanted the wife killed’ and that it had to look like a robbery.
Qwabe, 27, claimed he helped to hijack the couple’s taxi and was behind the wheel when a second hitman, sitting beside him, turned round and shot Mrs Dewani, 28, in the neck.
The father of three’s previously unheard story was laid out in his signed confession document accepted by Cape Town’s High Court yesterday.He admitted kidnapping, robbery, owning an unlicensed gun and premeditated murder.
While these crimes would normally merit life in prison, Qwabe received 25 years and will be eligible for parole in 17 years, under the terms of a plea bargain to testify against Dewani, 32, from Bristol.
Dewani adamantly rejects accusations that he commissioned and paid for the murder in November 2010.His most recent extradition hearing was told that he is mentally unfit to return to South Africa for trial due to post-traumatic stress disorder and severe depression.
In his confession, Qwabe named Dewani as a co-conspirator in kidnapping, murder and robbery, and says he was recruited for the ‘job’ by taxi driver Zola Tongo, who was jailed for 18 years for his role in the crime.Yesterday Mrs Dewani’s uncle, Ashok Hindocha, said: ‘We are just happy. Two of the accused have now pleaded guilty. Now we want to know what really happened to Anni, why they killed her.’
Changing fortunes: Dewani, pictured with his bride Anni on their wedding day
But he added: ‘I would have been much, much happier if all the accused were in South Africa and cross-examination took place and the truth could be found.
‘To us, Anni is still not dead. We haven’t started the mourning process. We can’t. We need to know what happened and then we can start working our way through it.’
© Daily Mail, London
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