Shrien Dewani marks fourth anniversary of marriage in court for Anni's murder

29 October 2014 - 13:00 By PHILANI NOMBEMBE
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Shrien and Anni Dewani at their wedding. File photo.
Shrien and Anni Dewani at their wedding. File photo.
Image: Sunday Times

Today, exactly four years ago, British businessman Shrien Dewani married his beautiful Swedish bride Anni.

But instead of celebrating, the millionaire is on trial for her murder in the Cape Town High Court.

Zola Tongo, who implicated him Anni's murder, will continue giving evidence in court.

Tongo is the state's key witness. He said Dewani asked him to find hit man to murder his female business partner and that he was willing to pay R15 000 for the hit.  Dewani allegedly wanted the killing to look like a hijacking.  He told the court this morning that he only found out later that the woman who died in the feigned hijacking was in fact Dewani's wife.

"I only realised on Sunday morning that it was Mrs Dewani who was murdered. I heard this from the detective," said Tongo.

Dewani and Anni got married in Mumbai, India, on October 29, 2010. The lavish festivities lasted for three days.

Tongo drove the newlywed couple around during their honeymoon in Cape Town. Dewani asked Tongo to shuttle them to the Cape Grace Hotel where couple stayed. Tongo claims that it was on their arrival at the hotel that Dewani made the strange request. He said he hired Xolile Mngeni, who recently died in prison of brain tumour, and Mziwamadoda Qwabe to carry out the hit.

Anni's lifeless body was found in Tongo's abandoned car with a single bullet to the neck in Khayelitsha on November 14, 2010. The trial continues.

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