Dewani 'very fragile'

Honeymoon murder accused Shrien Dewani is being treated in hospital for weight loss and his "general fragile state" - not for the effects of attempting suicide, his family insisted.

After he was taken by ambulance from his home in Bristol, south-west England, on Sunday evening, initial reports suggested that the 31-year-old had taken an overdose of pills.

But, speaking from London on behalf of the Dewani family, publicist Max Clifford denied this, saying "members of Shrien's family became extremely worried about his health".

"He is not sleeping or eating and became too weak. The decision to take him to hospital was made by his family in consultation with his doctor," he said.

The Times of London reported on Monday that Dewani was taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary on Sunday afternoon after taking an overdose. He is expected to be released within the next three days.

The UK's Daily Mail reported yesterday that Dewani had suffered an allergic reaction to his sleeping pills, though another source told the tabloid earlier that he had tried to commit suicide.

Clifford told The Times that Dewani has lost more than 12kg since being accused by the South African authorities of ordering the November 13 killing of his wife Anni, 28, while they were on honeymoon in Cape Town.

"Shrien suffers from severe traumatic stress disorder. Obviously, statements made by the chief of police [national police commissioner Bheki Cele] and the chief prosecutor [Menzi Semelane] are not helping. This has been going on since Anni's murder and it is understandable that it is bound to influence his health," Clifford said.

"The most powerful policeman is calling him a murdering monkey and the leading prosecutor is saying he is a fugitive fleeing from the country. What chances does he have? It is frightening. If it happened in this country, both these people would be sacked on the spot.

"Anybody can understand why Shrien's family is concerned about what is going to happen to him if he goes back."

Clifford denied reports that Dewani has been spotted eating out with friends in restaurants.

"This is 100% untrue," he said.

The Dewani family said they hoped Shrien would be discharged from hospital within the next few days. But he will have to have further treatment because he is "very fragile, both physically and psychologically".

They said that if a judge orders him to do so he would be willing to attend the review of progress in his extradition proceedings in the Westminster Crown Court on March 23, as well as the extradition hearing set down for May 3 to 5.

Anni was killed when gunmen hijacked the car in which the newlyweds were travelling in Gugulethu. Dewani is accused of paying the killers to murder his wife and faces charges of conspiracy to murder, murder, kidnapping, robbery and obstruction of justice in South Africa.