'Upset' Dewani irked over sexual questions

20 October 2014 - 13:01 By Nashira Davids and Philani Nombembe
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
BI-GUY: Shrien Dewani revealed shocking information about his sex life but also noted details of exchange-rate discrepancies when he exchanged money in Cape Town
BI-GUY: Shrien Dewani revealed shocking information about his sex life but also noted details of exchange-rate discrepancies when he exchanged money in Cape Town
Image: HALDEN KROG

UK journalist Nick Parker took the stand at the start of day 6 of the Shrien Dewani trial. Parker was the first to interview the Bristol businessman after his wife was found dead in a car in Khayelitsha.

Parker met Dewani at Max Clifford's offices. Clifford was Dewani's "PR consultant" at the time.

Dewani was accompanied by his brother Preyen and sister Preyal.

"[Dewani] seemed obviously upset at times," Parker told the court.

But Parker, from the Sun tabloid, seemed to upset the Dewanis when he wanted to know about his sexuality.

He irked the family even more when he interviewed Leipold Leisser, the male escort Dewani used.

Leisser's agent had apparently contacted the Sun. He wanted £30 000 for details about Leisser and Dewani's sexual liaisons.

The tabloid was threatened with legal action but Parker's managers decided to print the article.

Parker said he had received anonymous tip-offs that Dewani had been involved in the murder and wrote about this too.

Dewani's counsel Francois van Zyl said: "You might call it tip-offs - I call it rumour mongering".

The second witness of the day was Anni Dewani's cousin, Sneha Mashru.

The two grew up together, they went to the same schools and even studied at university.

But before Mashru could continue with her testimony, Dewani's counsel complained that he struggled to hear her.

"The microphones are supposed to amplify the sound," he lamented.

To this Judge Jeanette Traverso almost lost her cool.

"Sort out the microphones! Sort out the air-conditioning...I don't want to make these sort of adjournments repeatedly," she instructed.

There was a flurry of activity in the court room around the microphones including Traveso's one.

Proceedings had been interrupted several times for this reason. Last week Traverso said the trial was too costly and they could not afford the delays.

  • For breaking news directly from the courtroom, follow our reporter Nashira Davids on Twitter @nashhannibal

  • Get the best of our reporting on the Dewani trial here

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now