Dewani a 'victim of the media'

Honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani's publicist, Max Clifford, has slammed the South African media for subjecting his client to bad publicity.

This follows the disclosure in the Cape Town High Court on Friday that prosecutors intend to charge Dewani, together with Xolile Mngeni and Mziwamadoda Qwabe, when the trial starts.

Dewani, a British businessman, is wanted in Cape Town for allegedly hiring hitmen to murder his wife, Anni, in a staged hijacking in Guguletu in November 2010.

Clifford said he was not aware of what was happening in Dewani's life because he had not spoken to him in three months but could image what he was going through.

"If you believe him to be innocent, as I do, you can understand why it is such a nightmare, losing the woman you love and being accused of murdering her."

Dewani is reportedly being treated for post-traumatic stress in a mental hospital in the UK.

Clifford took a swipe at the South African media: "I've always been happy to tell [you] how I felt, what I thought and what was going on, and more and more you've been giving me bad publicity."

Dewani was arrested in the UK after being implicated in the murder by driver Zola Tongo - who is serving an 18-year sentence for his role in the killing.

Tongo confessed to hiring Mngeni and Qwabe. Dewani has denied the allegations.

On Friday, p rosecutor Shirleen Riley asked for the pre-trial conference to be postponed for two months because the prosecution wanted to try Dewani with the two other men.

She said they were awaiting a UK court judgment on Dewani's appeal against an order for his extradition to South Africa.

Counsel for Mngeni and Qwabe objected to the prosecution's intension to charge Dewani before the trial could start, arguing it would be unfair to their clients as the extradition process could be lengthy.

Judge Andre le Grange postponed the matter to April 13.